After The Fall
by Hexalys
Summary: For every scenario, there is more than one outcome. In this case, Arcee did not escape as quickly, meaning June didn't survive her encounter with Airachnid. MECH, after seeing a Spark firsthand, implements a new approach to Project Chimera, and through them Jack is changed in ways no one thought possible. The result, war between the Autobots and Decepticons will never be the same.
1. A Failed Rescue

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Transformers Prime nor anything else for that matter.

This is about what could have happened had Arcee arrived too late in the episode Crisscross.

I really like Jack in the Prime series, he's defiantly the best human on the show. He's proven to be really helpful at times, but knows that he could still get in the way as well. Something Miko should really pick up on. This story will focus mainly on the relationships between Jack, Optimus, and Arcee with bits of Ratchet thrown in just for fun. This story will stick to the cannon as close as possible along with my own additions added to it.

That being said, please enjoy the story!

~After the Fall~

Chapter 1: A Failed Rescue

"Mom, I'm sorry." Jack Darby said as he tried to free his hand from Airachnid's webbing. He knew it was pointless. Even if he did free himself, Airachnid would stop him before he'd be able to reach his mother. He sent out another silent prayer for Arcee or Agent Fowler, to hurry up and save his mom from the horrid Decepticon in front of him.

Jack immediately turned his attention back to his mom when he heard her cry out an anguished no.

His eyes widened as he saw Airachnid grab his mother's throat, the Cons' sharp claws hovering hungrily over her pale skin. Desperate, he stuck the end of the metal pole he'd been using to pry his hand free into the residing puddle of Airachnid's melting acidic spit. Once the bottom of it was heavily coated, he quickly jabbed it at the webbing holding him down. He let out a shout of pain as he felt the acid begin to tear away at his flesh, but he didn't stop, he couldn't.

As soon as he was able, Jack pulled his hand free out of the weakened webbing and ran towards his mother; the sight that greeted him at the end of the walkway would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life.

Airachnid was staring at him avidly while holding his mother's neck so tightly that it was causing her to turn blue. She gave him a demented smile before moving his mother's face towards him so that they could look at each other. He felt his heart plummet at seeing the raw tears in his mother's eyes and Jack knew that she'd already given up hope.

He wanted to say that everything was going to be alright, that they were going to be saved, but the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat rendered him speechless.

"Well now, I think it's time to end this, don't you Jack?" Airachnid said sweetly as she used her other hand to caress June's pale cheek. He wanted to yell, to scream at the sky, but that wouldn't save his mom and he had to save her. _**He had to.**_

Jack dropped to his knees and made one last attempt, a desperate deal with the Devil.

"Please take me instead, Airachnid. Let her go and you can have me!" He shouted, a sob catching at the end of his sentence. Airachnid tilted her head and pondered mockingly towards him, her optics showing nothing but amusement.

"As tempting as that offer is Jack, I'm going to have to say no deal. You see, you made a fool out of me during our last encounter and this is my revenge against you. And after I break you, I'm going to kill you in front of Arcee, slowly, painfully. Well, if MECH kept up the end of their deal and she's still alive that is, but I doubt it." She turned her attention back to June and let go of her throat.

"Say goodbye Jack!" With that, Airachnid released a mouthful of green acid onto the webbing that held June Darby in place.

Jack ran forward, getting as close to the edge as possible and arrived just in time to see the last of the web melt away. He reached his hand out towards his mother in a desperate attempt to save her, hearing her scream his name as she fell towards the ground.

He tried to make eye contact one last time before he saw her crash into the hard and unforgiving Earth.

Her body looked as if it had exploded from the inside out, and yet he couldn't turn his eyes away from the horrible sight of her mangled corpse. He watched in a detached manner as her blood slowly spread from her body, mixing with her scattered pieces of ripped flesh, bashed organs, and broken bones.

Jack looked up apathetically only when he heard the sound of helicopters heading towards him. It didn't matter anymore; they were too late to save her. He went to turn his attention back to his mother's remains when he heard a hearty chuckle from behind him. Jack spun around and saw Airachnid posturing and preening like she'd done something that deserved an award.

Hatred like he'd never known coursed through Jack's body. This monster had killed his mom and he would get his revenge. Jack clenched his fists in anger and let out a startled hiss as the acidic wound from Airachnid's saliva seemed to burn into him even worse than before. He didn't even spare the glowing gash a glance, but instead continued to glower at his mother's murderer.

Airachnid was about to say something, no doubt she was going to gloat, when she was suddenly cut off by an uppercut that threw her off the walkway. Jack paused as the target off his rage vanished from view. A part of him wanted to go after her, but Jack knew that Arcee would make Airachnid pay. He didn't watch as Arcee and Airachnid started to fight, but instead turned his attention to the ladder that he was now climbing down.

He needed to see his mom.

When he finally reached the ground, he slowly walked towards her, trying not to step on any scattered pieces of her body. He could barely hold back the thick heave that came from his throat as he failed in that endeavor. He cringed at every squish and crunch that resulted from his carefully placed steps. Jack collapsed onto his knees and placed his hands on the largest piece of her that remained. He thought it was probably her torso or maybe a leg, not paying attention to the warm blood he was drenching himself in.

Jack barely noticed that Fowler had arrived with backup and was shooting at Airachnid. He gave a spiteful smile at the thought of her being torn apart by bullets, her body left in the same conditions as his mother. He immediately snapped out of his morbid daydream when he saw Airachnid transform into a helicopter and take off, her hideous laughter ringing in his ears.

The young man gritted his teeth at the familiar scene of a Decepticon escaping because they could fly, while the Autobots could not. It was one of the many advantages the Decepticons had, along with a small army of soldiers, access to Cybertronian technology, and lots of Energon. Did the Autobots even stand a chance?

"Jack! Jack where are you?" He heard Arcee shout in a panicked tone. He disregarded her calls and turned his attention back to the cooling body at his feet, finally noticing that he was covered in his mom's messy remains. He was soaked in her blood, flesh, and shit; another dry heave reached his throat, threatening to spill his stomach acid on her carcass.

Dead bodies weren't clean or pretty.

"Jesus Christ, kid. Is that…?" Jack heard Agent Fowler ask from behind him and he just gave a rigid nod in response, he didn't dare open his mouth. A dead and heavy silence fell over them, lasting for several minutes until the roar of Arcee's engine broke through. They both turned to see the cobalt Autobot driving towards them.

"_Jack!_ Thank the All-Spark! I thought that Airachnid killed you." She surprised him by pulling him into a tight embrace. He tried to return the hug, but his arms stopped midway when he felt pain radiate from his hand, traveling up his arm.

He stared down at the partly melted flesh with indifference as the remains of Airachnid's acid dissolved deeper into the wound. Jack briefly wondered if the damage was spreading, but found that he really didn't care at the moment. Shock, his brain pointed out for him as his arms dropped back to his sides, he was in shock. It was only once Arcee pulled him away from her did she finally notice the gore that covered her charge. Her optics widened and shuttered for a second before spotting June Darby's' remains.

"Is that your mom?" She asked in a whisper. Jack turned to look up at her and found that she was blurry; her body simply looked like shapes and colors to his hazy vision.

"Yeah." He answered back just as quietly and started to shake when she hugged him once more. It was only when he realized that his mother would never hold him again that Jack began to feel the tears spill down his face. Her last words, her screams for help, burned into his mind. A curdling emotion burned in the pit of his stomach, corroding something inside of him.

He hadn't been able to save her.

~After the Fall~

"Let's move it men. We need to get out of here before any of Agent Fowler's lackeys show up." Silas ordered as he moved to the helicopter that was waiting to take off. He still couldn't believe that he'd been outwitted by a boy. He hated to admit it, but Jack Darby had bested him in this round.

A smirk made its way onto his scarred face; the kid was good, Silas would give him that. Of course, Jack had still lost to Airachnid in the end, but that was a loss they both shared. Silas both grimaced and smirked as he recalled the murder he'd just witness.

MECH wasn't an innocent organization by any means. They've had to kill people in the past, innocent or otherwise, but they never prolonged a persons' suffering. The way that June Darby had died was brutal and it was even crueler having forced young Jack to witness it. Which was exactly what Airachnid had been aiming for; he had to commend her on making it so personal, so painful. He could use more men like that Decepticon, without the double-crossing part of course.

Tonight hadn't been a total loss for MECH, though. They'd been able to open the Autobot's chest cavity and had analyzed her 'heart' or as the Transformers called it, her Spark. They'd also gotten a look at how they're able to transform into Earth vehicles and aircrafts, thanks to Airachnid.

However, what little knowledge they gathered had shown Silas that the Transformers were far more complicated than he'd originally believed. He'd first thought that they were advanced robotic machinery, but when he saw that Spark and its' readings, Silas realized that he was dealing with so much more.

A Spark was life and energy and in that regard, the Transformers were not so different from humans.

This meant that his plans needed to change. Before, he had meant to build his own Transformers, but now he realized that he could never duplicate an energy source as powerful as a Spark. Not if he wanted a true warrior instead of a mindless drone. Silas shook his head as he got into a helicopter and signaled for the pilot to take off.

He needed more information and the only way to do that was to get his hands on another Transformer, unfortunately he knew it was going to have to be someone that neither side would miss. Perhaps one of those flying Vehicons…

Silas turned his head to look out the window and saw Jack Darby staring up at him while standing next to his motorcycle guardian. The boy was morbidly covered in blood, but what got his attention was the look of hatred on the young mans' face. Silas had little doubt that he had just made an enemy in young Jack, but instead of feeling wary, he was intrigued. Jack had shown great promise here today and Silas couldn't help but think that the boy could prove to be very useful to him in the future.

"I want you to look up Jackson Darby's family and any other information that you can gather on him." Silas said to one of the many MECH soldiers in the copter. He received a chorus of "yes sir" and smiled as ideas began to take shape in his mind.

~After the Fall~

Jack glared at Silas's retreating helicopter; he was really starting to hate those things. He turned to his mom's body and found that she was already being placed into a body bag by some medics.

"What now Arcee?" He said in a dead voice. The shock of his mother's death had yet to fully fade, leaving Jack's mind blissfully blank. He could grieve later, but right now Jack was just thankful for the numbness that seemed to consume him. A stabbing pain in his hand reminded Jack that he wasn't completely numb, but he welcomed this physical pain more than the emotional one that he knew he would soon be feeling.

Arcee sighed as she thought about their next course of action, but she'd never been in a situation like this before. She had only had to deal with warriors dying, and all that was left to do in the end was honor their sacrifice by avenging their deaths. This time though, an innocent human had died and left behind a son. Arcee mentally cursed herself and Airachnid in both Earthling and Cybertronian. She had failed to escape MECH sooner and June had paid the ultimate price, leaving Jack with nothing but a painful sense of loss. She turned to look down at her partner before she spoke.

"I'm so sorry Jack. Had I gotten there sooner, I could have…" She trailed off when saw June being placed into an ambulance.

"It wasn't your fault Arcee; it was Airachnid's and MECH's." '_And mine.'_ Jack added quietly to himself. "They were prepared for us and we're lucky to have survived it." He said tiredly, trying to reassure his partner and knowing that he was failing at it miserably.

"Lucky? It's only thanks to your quick thinking that we're here Jack." Agent Fowler said in a subdued tone as he walked up towards them. The older man sighed as he placed a comforting hand on Jacks' shoulder. "Listen to me son, I'll take care of the expenses for her funeral, but we can't give out the true reason for her death. Prime and his men-"

"I know, I know, they don't exist." Jack interrupted as he brushed a bloody hand through his hair. That phrase, it had never sat well with Jack. Those words had first been spoken to him in a threatening tone by Arcee and he'd later used them on her before "leaving" the Bots. Now, now they just left a bitter taste in his mouth. The way his mom died, _it doesn't exist_.

"Do you have anybody that I can to notify for you?" Fowler asked, his voice coming out low and full of sympathy. It was such an odd tone to hear coming from the older man as the agent had always spoken in an irritated or bold manner in the past. Jack shook his head and looked up at the stars.

"No, it's always been just mom and me as far as I know. Dad died when I was six and I don't know if he had any family, but mom was an orphan. I'm the only family she had left." They all stood in silence for a few minutes before Jack noticed a small blue light coming out of Arcee's' chest. "Arcee, your chest is glowing." His voice came out flat and low, but it was loud enough for his partner to hear. Arcee looked down and covered the open piece of armor with her left servo.

"Silas opened up my chest compartment while I was in stasis-lock, but my system scan says that my Spark is undamaged." She was looking at the ground, speaking in a quiet voice. Jack didn't demand that she look at him though, he couldn't bring his eyes to meet her gaze either.

"Spark?" He asked in a tired voice as his eyes once again drifted toward the ambulance carrying its' latest corpse. Was it ironic for his mother to be in an emergency vehicle that had the name of the hospital she worked at printed on the side of its frame?

"It's sort of like our heart." She replied in a soft voice and Jack quickly turned back to her in worry.

"You sure you're okay? They didn't do anything to your Spark?" He asked, concern leaking into his words. Who wouldn't be extremely apprehensive about the fact that Silas had decided to poke at their partners' heart?

"I'm fine Jack. Agent Fowler, is it alright for Jack to stay at the Autobot base tonight?" Though Jack was slightly miffed about how easily he was brushed off, Arcee's casualness about her situation eased his worries greatly. The sudden alarm he felt faded and was again, thankfully, replaced with that earlier numbness. Fowler rubbed his tired eyes and turned to look away from them both.

"At this point of time, I believe that's the best thing to do. However, there are many issues that will need to be addressed soon, I'll contact you tomorrow." He patted Jacks' shoulder one last time before he moved away to talk to a few of his men.

"What does he mean that there are issues that need to be addressed?" Arcee asked as she transformed into her motorcycle form.

Jack simply shrugged as he got on, pretending that he didn't' know any more than she did. She and the others would find out soon enough and Jack didn't want his remaining time with the Autobots to be ruined by the future. He looked back one last time as the ambulance disappeared from his line of sight, heading towards the hospital his mom used to work at.

"I'm so sorry mom." He whispered quietly as he put on the helmet that she had demanded he wear whenever he rode Arcee.

"Ratchet, we need a Ground Bridge please." He heard Arcee say in a solemn voice.

"_Opening Ground Bridge, is everything alright Arcee?_" Jack heard Ratchet ask.

"I'll tell you when we're back on base; gather everyone, even the kids." She replied as her engine came to life and Jack climbed on. The hum was comforting, calming even, and Jack gripped her handlebars tightly.

"_Wake the children, at this time of the night? It's four in the morning._" The Medic responded with a grouchy tone, nothing unusual there.

"And it's important, so just do it." The two-wheeler snapped back. It had been a bad night and she was not in the mood for any attitude from anybody. She got a huff for an answer before the Ground Bridge appeared in front of her and Jack.

~After the Fall~

Optimus Prime, who had been looking at the latest strategy used in the Decepticon Energon raids, turned his attention towards the opened Ground Bridge as Arcee drove in with Jack. His optics widened in surprise and alarm as he saw the state of their oldest charge.

Jack saw Ratchet approach, but just waved him off. He wasn't in any mood to being poked or prodded. He got off of Arcee and she quickly transformed in order to prevent Ratchet from aggravating her partner even more.

"Really Arcee, I need to take care of Jacks' injuries." Ratchet growled only to be followed up with frustrated sigh as the cobalt Autobot refused to move. Arcee was about to respond, but Jack beat her to it.

"This isn't my blood, I wasn't the one hurt." He said in a hollow tone, but he could feel the sorrow starting to build inside him as the shock from before slowly started to wear off. Arcee quickly bent down and placed a servo against his back. He gave her a small smile as thanks for her comfort.

"Whose blood is it, Jack?" Optimus asked in a grave tone. The young human looked up at him and Optimus saw a dead look in his blue-grey eyes. It was not unlike the ones he used to receive when one of his men had nothing left to live for due to the tragedies of the war and loss.

"My mom's, Airachnid killed her." Jack replied in a heart wrenching voice and he could feel the sob aching to break free at the back of his throat. He clenched his hands, welcoming the dull throb from the wound Airachnid's acid had given him. The pain gave Jack something else to focus on instead of his grief and itch to mourn was soothed a little.

Optimus closed his optics and tried to keep a clear processor, but it was hard with all the guilt and anger that suddenly consumed his Spark. He heard Ratchet gasp from beside him, but didn't turn to look at his old friend. Instead he bent down to look at Jack, not wanting to tower over the child at this moment. Jack still had to look up at Optimus, but he appreciated what the Autobot was trying to do.

"Jack, I am sorry. We have failed you and your mother. I know that there is nothing that I can do that can make up for this loss, but I-" Optimus went silent when the front entrance opened, letting the others into the base.

"Optimus…" Jack said, getting the Autobot leader to look back at him. "I could never blame you or any of the other Autobots for what happened to mom, I can only blame myself." He said softly so that only Optimus could hear. Arcee and Ratchet had already moved to talk to Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Miko, and Raf. Optimus gave Jack a sharp look, but he ignored it and continued. "I knew that hanging around with you guys would be dangerous, but I couldn't resist being a part of something so extraordinary. Then when I met Airachnid, I acted stupid, like the whole thing was some sort of an adventure. I was foolish and mom died because of that." Jack said, his eyes never leaving Optimus' optics. "Most of the blame goes to Airachnid and MECH for her death, but I can't ignore the fact that I was part of the equation as well."

"Jack, it is not your fault that she's gone." Optimus stated firmly. "It was our duty to guard you, as well as every other human on this planet; we were the ones who failed."

Jack slowly shook his head, not wanting to state the fact that it was impossible for five Autobots to protect a population of billions, knowing that it wouldn't have any effect on the Prime. He decided to let the matter drop and pretend that Optimus had absolved him of his guilt. Nothing anyone could say would make Jack feel any different, but he wouldn't hide the gratitude he felt towards Optimus for trying.

He turned towards Miko and Raf as they made their way towards him with tears in their eyes. As they approached him, he couldn't believe how young they looked to him now. Sure, he had always felt older than them, but now, Jack felt like he'd aged twenty years in the last hour.

Raf plowed into him, tightly wrapping his arms around him as he sobbed into his stomach. Jack placed his hand on top of the younger boys' head as he started to whisper comforting words to him, which only made Raf sob harder. He turned to Miko, who was standing a few feet away; looking more scared then he had ever seen her. Whether it was because of the blood or because she'd just realized how much danger they were in, he didn't know, but Jack held out his other arm for her and soon found her crying softly on his shoulder.

~After the Fall~

Jack sighed as he watched the blood stained water go down the drain. He was back at home, having realized earlier that he needed a shower and new clothes, unless he had wanted to sleep in an outfit that was soaked in his mom's blood. Ratchet had opened up a Ground Bridge in the garage, where Arcee was still waiting for him, so that he could avoid running into anyone. Not that Jack expected to meet any curious neighbors at three in the morning. Still, after what MECH had just done, Optimus wasn't taking any chances.

Miko and Raf had returned to their homes a few minutes before he'd left, still looking very upset. Raf seemed to be taking it the worst as he had cried himself into an exhausted sleep and Miko had been painfully silent. Bulkhead had offered his condolences while Bumblebee beeped at him with soothing words that he couldn't understand, but Jack truly appreciated their support.

Absentmindedly, Jack scratched at the hand that had been partially melted by Airachnid's acid and noticed that the wound had healed over, not even leaving a scar. He looked his hand over carefully and for a second, he felt a bit of uneasiness fill the back of his mind. He was too tired to hang onto the feeling though, too tired to care, and much too tired to question why the injury was now healed.

He looked up at the bathroom mirror and stumbled back in shock when he saw his eyes flash a bright glowing green. He shook his head and looked back at the mirror again, only to see wide bloodshot blue-grey eyes staring back at him.

Passing off the weird moment as sleep deprivation, Jack put on his clothes and grabbed his fully stocked backpack before returning back to base with Arcee.

~After the Fall~

Chapter 1 over and done! So how'd you like my depressing opening? It broke your heart didn't it? Good! I don't want this to become a sob story where all Jack thinks about is his Mom's demise and this definitely won't turn into a thirst for revenge thing either, so I'm getting the "boo hoo" parts out of the way now. Jack is stronger than that, which is one of the reasons for why he's my favorite character.

~Hexalys~


	2. Nightmares

Wow, I'm surprised by how many reviews I got! Usually, I have to beg and plead to get this many. I want to thank everyone for taking the time to review.

As for pairings, so far the only female on the show that isn't annoying is Arcee. I don't know why, but Jack x Arcee just seems right to me. I won't go into specifics, but there will be some romance between the two in the future. However, I will not be solely focusing on Jack's and Arcee's relationship, their connection will only play a small part in this story since I've never been good at writing romance.

Well here we go; chapter two and ready for your reviews! Hmm, that sorta rhymed.

~After the Fall~

Chapter 2: Nightmares

_"Jack, please, help me!" His mother shouted as she reached out for him while trapped in Airachnid's clutches._

_Jack looked around him, hoping to find Arcee or another one of the Autobots nearby, but they weren't there. The only thing surrounding him was the desert and rocky formations of Nevada's wasteland. He pulled out his cell phone and went dial the emergency contact number that Agent Fowler had given him, only to let out a grunt of dismay when he found that he had no bars._

_"What's wrong Jack? No one coming to your rescue?" Airachnid said mockingly and he glared up at her hatefully. "Why do you need someone to save you anyways? Can't you protect your mother on your own? You can't always expect for Arcee or Optimus to come and save you." She said while she circled Jack, tossing his mom between her servos._

_Jack stared back at her, not knowing what to say. A part of what Airachnid had said was right. He was supposed to protect his mom, not the Autobots. Was he always going to let himself be trapped in a situation where he needed to be saved, where he was useless? He roughly shook his head in answer to those thoughts._

_He couldn't afford to be useless. _

_He had to protect Miko and Raf. He had to take care of mom, like dad had told him to do before he'd passed away. '__**Dad**__…__' Oh, what Jack wouldn't give to have his father with him now. His dad had always been strong, unbeatable, up until the moment that horrible disease had claimed his life._

_"Jack! Help!" June screamed as Airachnid began to squeeze her tighter. Jack closed his eyes and mentally curled in on himself, trying to shield his mind from the terrible scene playing out in front of him. He couldn't save his mom. He wasn't strong enough and that bitter realization hurt more than he thought it would._

_"JACK!" She screamed even louder than before, and damn it, couldn't she see that he couldn't save her! It was at that moment that he felt weak, pathetic and more worthless than the dirt he was standing. No stronger than when he'd been five and had always relied on his father to protect him._

_"Dad, please help us! I can't save, mom on my own!" Jack screamed as he slammed his fists into the ground, collapsing forward and waiting for it all to end. He felt so ashamed, so stupid. Why couldn't he be strong enough for her, why couldn't he have been enough?_

_"I'm here Jack." He heard a deep, but muffled voice say. Was that, but no it couldn't, right? His dad was dead, it was only his imagination. Jack looked up in shock when he heard Airachnid belt out a pained cry._

_He watched as a shady and blurred figure knocked Airachnid to the ground before safely catching his mom. She rushed towards him and he did the same. They collided painfully, her tight hug knocked most of the wind out of him and even though it was uncomfortable, Jack didn't ask her to loosen her grip. She was safe and he would never let something like this happen ever again. Jack turned back to watch the fight between their mystery savoir and Airachnid. He still couldn't see who it was, but he had a pretty good guess._

_His dad._

_Only his father had ever made him feel this safe. Jack turned to his mom to ask her if she thought that it was her lost husband too, but froze when he found her several feet away and trapped in a Megatron's grip. She wasn't the only captured human either. Miko and Raf were being held by Knock Out an Starscream while Breakdown was holding Agent Fowler._

_He turned to look back at his dad and found him on the defensive of Airachnid's furious attacks. Just as Jack was starting to panic, he heard the approaching roar of Arcee's engine. He smiled to himself, help was on the way. His dad had just thrown Airachnid a good distance towards the Decepticons when the Autobots rolled up. Jack smiled as he saw his friends transform._

_Arcee looked furious and her optics were focused on Airachnid, while occasionally sending Jack worried looks. Bumblebee had his fists up, already bouncing on his toes, while beeping towards Raf who seemed to calm at his protectors words. Bulkhead was pounding his fists menacingly while glaring at Breakdown and Jack could faintly hear Miko cheering the Wrecker on before she began taunting the Decepticons. Ratchet looked worried, but more so for the humans than the approaching battle._

_It was then that Jack noticed that the team wasn't complete, Optimus wasn't there. He didn't know where the Prime was, but he trusted that the Autobot leader would show up soon. Jack noticed that his dad had gone to stand with the rest of the Autobots and he couldn't help, but grin. The Decepticons wouldn't know what hit them._

_"Release them Megatron." His father said in such a frigid tone that Jack felt chills go down his spine. Megatron looked amused at his dad's impressive display, and Jack knew something awful was going to happen just by looking at the jagged smile Megatron gave to the Autobots._

_"Very well, the humans are of no importance to me. They were simply tools to bring you Autobots out of hiding." Megatron said as he nodded towards his men. They each gave their own wicked smiles towards the Bots and did as Megatron had ordered; they released their captives – from fifty feet in the air._

_Everybody screamed as they fell downward. They smashed into the ground. There was only silence._

_Jack's shouts of horror and disbelief were drowned out by his father's roar of anger. The two opposing sides ran towards each other, drawing their weapons, neither faction intending to let the other live._

_Arcee used her impressive agility to dodge Airachnid's acid and unleashed a volley of blasts from her guns, knocking the Con into the ground. Bulkhead and Breakdown smashed into each other, both relying on sheer strength and endurance to win the fight. Bumblebee took on Knock Out, weaving in and out of the Decepticons attacks before delivering an uppercut that knocked the medic off his feet. Ratchet lunged at Soundwave, chainsaws whirling, but quickly retreated in order to avoid being hit by a stray shot from one of the other combatants._

_Jack had already started to cross the battlefield, hiding behind whatever cover he could find, in order to reach where the other humans were. There was a slim chance that they could still be alive, and he'd be damned if he just sat there instead of helping them._

_Briefly his eyes roamed over the battles, trying to locate his dad. Jack found him fighting against both Megatron and Starscream, he cursed. If only Optimus was here, then his dad would only have to fight one opponent instead of two._

_When Jack finally reached the others, he quickly covered his mouth in a useless attempt to stop himself from throwing up. He stumbled away from the scene and heaved his stomach contents behind a nearby rock. He wiped his sleeve across his mouth and ventured once again into the bloody display in hopes of finding a survivor. Agent Fowler's body was intact, but that was only because he had never reached the ground. Instead, he'd been impaled by a sharp rock formation. It had pierced through his chest leaving no doubt in Jack's mind that the man was dead._

_Jack found his mother's body next and was struck by a severe case of Déjà vu. Her scattered corpse left him with a feeling of deeper dread and horror then Fowler's. It of course could have been because he'd loved his mother and had only met Fowler three months ago, but there was still something wrong. It felt like his mother's death was more real than Agent Fowler's had been._

_Jack tore his gaze away from his mom to look for Miko and Raf. Callously, his mind pointed out that statistically, Raf and Miko had a lesser chance of survival than his mom and Fowler. Jack let out a soft sob when he found them. _

_Miko had curled herself around Raf in order to protect him, but her thin body hadn't been enough of a cushion for his. His head had hit the ground, leaving his brains splattered across the sand. Miko's body wasn't that much different from his mom's._

_Jack fell on his knees and buried his face into the Earth, wishing that it would just swallow him up and take him away from this horrible place._

_He'd failed to protect everyone._

_Agent Fowler, whom he'd taken a liking to, was a good man. Jack honestly couldn't say that he knew Fowler well, but he knew the man well enough to grieve for his death. Miko, she was a pain, a troublemaker and gave very little thought about the dangers they were usually neck-deep in. But, she was still bright and strong, full of adventure and courage. Raf, the youngest and the smartest, he shouldn't have died. The twelve year old boy who was too quiet for his own good, sensitive, but loyal to a fault, Raf was too young to die._

_And his mom, the one person whom Jack loved more than anything else in the world, was just gone! She'd always been there for him, and he knew how hard life had been for her. Losing her husband early in her marriage and forced to raise a son by herself. Working double-shifts sometimes triple, in order to simply get by. _

_They were all gone, and Jack knew, he __**knew**__ that it was his fault. He was such a failure. _

_Jack blearily looked up as he felt the ground shake from the battles that were taking place. His tear filled eyes widened as he saw battlefield. Ratchet was being held up in the air, unconscious, by Soundwave who was preparing to stab his sharpened servos straight through the Medic's chest. _

_Bulkhead was trapped in Breakdown's hold, forced onto his knees, grunting while Breakdown held him in place by pressing his foot into Bots' back, pulling his arms as far away from the former Wrecker as possible. Jack could hear the sound of Bulkhead's metal limbs being slowly torn away from his body, the sharp piercing sound of torn metal making his insides curl._

_Bumblebee was screaming as he writhed in pain on the ground while Knock Out tortured him by prodding him with his electric staff. The beeps and whirls coming out loud and more human than Jack had ever heard, breaking his already shattered heart even further. _

_And Arcee, well she was barely faring better than the others. Her legs were trapped under a mountain of fallen rocks and Jack could see Airachnid slowly staggering towards his fallen protector. He was glad to see that the spider Decepticon was missing a few legs, but Arcee wasn't getting up! Jack searched for his dad, praying that he'd already won his fight and was going to be able to save the Autobots. His breath caught in his throat when he saw him._

_His father was still alive, but he seemed to be hurt. He struggled to dodge Megatron's attacks and was completely thrown off course whenever Starscream would attack him from the sky. Jack cursed and narrowed his eyes, hoping to clear his dad's blurry image. He couldn't understand why he could only see his dad's face or body and he needed to see how injured his father was._

_Suddenly, his dad stumbled and Jack could see the gleeful victory on Megatron's face. With a quick lunge from the Decepticon Warlord, Megatron stabbed his sword through his father's chest, the blade continuing through and piercing out of his back._

_"NO!" Jack screamed as he raced towards his father. His dad couldn't die, he just couldn't! _

_He rushed pass Bulkhead's armless corpse and a grinning Breakdown. '__**Where were you Optimus?**__' _

_He slid on the Energon that was leaking from the gaping hole in Ratchet's chest. '__**How could it all end like this?**__' _

_He dodged Bumblebee's still twitching hand, a reflex leftover from a dead body. '__**Would things have been different if I hadn't returned to the Autobots?**__' _

_Jack let out a sob and cringed as he saw Airachnid cut off Arcee's head, claiming it as her trophy. __**'**__**Why did they all have to die?**__'_

_Jack could see his father lying on the ground and even though he felt defeated and decimated, he couldn't help but feel a little happy as his father's blurry appearance started to get clearer with every step he took._

_"…Dad…" Jack panted to himself as he came to his fallen father. His breath caught in his throat when the visage of his father finally cleared. It wasn't his dad at all, it was Optimus! His father hadn't saved him, but how could he confuse Optimus with his father? Jack placed his hand onto Optimus's face and exhaled heavily. He'd been so dumb to think that his dad was alive again. He knew that his dad had died ten years ago._

_"Jack." Jack opened his eyes and snapped his head up to look at Optimus. Though when he heard the Autobot say his name, one word had rung throughout his mind._

'_**Dad.**__'_

_Optimus turned his head sideways to look at Jack and the young boy felt his breath hitch. Optimus looked so much like his father when he had last seen the man. They both gave him the same look. A look that said, 'I'm sorry, but I can't keep going anymore.' Jack closed his eyes and leaned forward, placing his head against Optimus's cheek, just below his fading optic. _

_"It's okay… dad." He whispered back. It wasn't though, and nothing would ever be okay again. He heard Optimus let out a weary breath and he knew that the leader of the Autobots was dead._

_"As touching as this moment is, I think it's time we finish this, don't you Jack?" He heard Airachnid say from behind him. He turned around just in time to see a foot come crashing down towards him._

~After the Fall~

Jack screamed as he rolled off the couch and fell onto the floor. He sat up quickly, panting and shivering, searching the room for Airachnid. He sighed once he realized that it had all been a dream and that everyone was okay. '_Except for mom._' His subconscious provided. His sleep ridden mind had to think about why he'd thought such a thing for a few moments before he finally remembered.

She'd died last night.

A lead weight seemed to fall into his stomach, making his body feel heavy, and his mind immediately conjured up a mental image of her corpse. That was why his mom's death in his dream had felt different. Some part of his mind must have realized that she was the only person who wasn't going to be alive when he woke up.

Instead of letting his mind dwell on his her death, Jack decided to think about his dream instead. He supposed, all in all, that a nightmare wasn't unusual considering the day he'd had. Seeing his dream mom, Fowler, Miko, and Raf die the same way mom had was probably natural. The Autobots dying had been another thing completely.

Jack knew that the Autobots were strong; he'd even believed that they were invincible at first. But after seeing the several injuries they'd come back with after their many battles, the illusion of the Autobots being invincible had broken. Except for when it came to Optimus Prime.

Now that had been an unsettling part of his dream. Never before had Jack thought of Optimus as a father figure, but his dream had taken it a step further. He'd been so sure that the mystery savoir was his father and even when he'd found out otherwise, he'd _still_ called Optimus his dad.

When he was younger, his dad had seemed invincible too, until he'd gotten sick. Then he'd meet Optimus and again Jack had thought that someone was invincible. When Optimus had gotten the Cybonic plague, there'd been a large part of him that believed Optimus would go the same way as his dad. He didn't though and that just confirmed Jack's earlier assessment.

If there was one person who was invincible, then it was Optimus Prime.

But did he really think of Optimus like a father? Jack looked around the room, as if checking to make sure that no one was there to hear his thoughts and he suddenly felt very stupid. He didn't need anyone to hold his hand, especially a giant robot from outer space who had the emotional range of a stump.

'_Get a grip Darby. You've just experienced a seriously traumatic event and lost your only parent. Naturally, in order to manage, your mind would seek comfort in another parental figure, even if the person you chose isn't related to you. It's just a coping mechanism and you're stronger than that. It's okay to find comfort in your friends, but don't create delusional relationships. It's not helpful or healthy._' He thought harshly as he analyzed himself.

"Huh, guess mom was right, psychology can be helpful." Jack said out loud and winced as his voice echoed slightly in the giant control room of the Autobot base.

His mom had made him take Psychology as an elective in eighth grade and he'd continued to dabble with the subject since then. Being a psychiatrist had been one ideal job Jack had thought about taking. His mother's biggest regret when he'd been choosing electives was that there hadn't been a course focusing on first aid. Of course she'd taken it upon herself to teach him whatever she could, whenever she could, and while Jack didn't have enough knowledge or skill to perform an operation, he could certainly handle the basics. Now that he no longer had her to take care of him though, he'd have to put those skills to use.

Jack looked down at the hand that had been in contact with Airachnid's acid. He poked at the area that had once been melted, testing his skin, muscles and bones. He moved his fingers, checking for any sluggish movement or tremors. He lifted, pushed, and pulled on anything that he could get his hands on. There didn't seem to be any pain nor was there any deficiency in his motor skills. His muscles seemed to be as strong as ever and as far as he could tell, there seemed to be no damage done to his bones.

Jack sighed as he studied his hand. By all accounts, it should be nothing more than a stub of melted flesh and bone, much like the victims of Brundlefly. Jack shivered at that thought of the fictional story about a man becoming a mutated monster simply because of a slight oversight. He really hoped that his body pieces wouldn't start to fall off as he began to mutate into a freak of nature.

A part of him thought that he should talk to Ratchet about this, but on the other hand, he didn't want to cause a fuss if it really wasn't an issue. After all, he was healed right? Once he started to be able to perform Olympic level gymnastic skills and have seriously destructive emotional episodes, then he would talk to Ratchet.

Jack yawned while he stretched and rubbed the back of his head. There was no way he'd be able to go back to sleep now.

"Lights." He said and gave a small smile as they turned on. He grabbed his duffle bag and rummaged around inside to find some clothes, his tooth brush, and a comb. He paused when his hands found something far more important. Carefully, he pulled out the small wooden picture frame that he'd packed the night before. It held an old photograph that had been taken ten years ago.

Jack smiled bitterly at the happy family of three. His dad had one hand on his head while the other was wrapped tightly around his mom's waist, pulling her closer to him. He was handsome, as the man had often liked to say. Always stating that the only reason mom had married him was because of his good looks.

He had black hair, like the rest of the family, but it had usually been covered up with a motorcycle helmet that he rarely took off. He'd been a fairly tall man, a few inches over six feet, and had had a pretty muscular physic; unlike his son. He wore a black leather jacket, a white T-shirt, blue jeans, and black biker boots. Basically, his dad had looked like a badass biker, which he essentially was.

How such a sweet person like mom had ever fallen for a guy like his dad was beyond Jack. He guessed that she had been into the whole bad boy thing. Jack remembered what she loved about dad's look the best though, his eyes. They were a brilliant bright green, the kind a person couldn't help but admire. Then there was the type of person his dad had been, brave, protective, smart but a bit thick at times, hardworking, loving, and happy. He also didn't have any qualms about desert before dinner. Jack could still recall when his dad would pick him up from kindergarten and take him to get ice cream before they went home, both promising not to tell mom.

Jack turned to look from his beaming dad to gaze at his younger mother. She had on a smirk and was giving his dad a side glance that promised romance and trouble. Her hair had been cut short at the time, barely brushing against her shoulders. Instead of wearing her usual attire of scrubs, she wore a red tank top, blue jeans, and sneakers. It was the attire of a woman who worked a normal amount of hours, instead of the ones she'd later have to work. She had less worry lines on her face and she looked more relaxed than Jack had seen in years.

In those days she was still very much the same person as she was now. She smiled a bit less though and after dad had died, she'd become obsessed with his safety. Jack had always been annoyed before by her over protectiveness, but now he understood her reasons better. It hurt to lose the only family you had left.

Jack's eyes drifted to that of the young boy standing in front of his parents. He wore a white T-shirt, a thin black polyester jacket, blue jeans, and sneakers. It was obvious that the boy wanted to be exactly like his father, going so far as to dressing up just like him. He was holding up a small toy plane that his parents had bought him and gave his biggest smile to the camera, showing everyone that he was missing a tooth.

Jack stared at the younger boy forlornly. How long had it been since he smiled like that? Of course, the kid had something to smile about. He had the perfect life. Jack had never felt so envious in that moment and wished the he could revisit those days of yesteryears. He couldn't even remember those times all that well anymore.

He had long forgotten what his father sounded like and he'd had to rely on his mother for most things when it concerned their time with dad. Now, he'd have to rely on his own fading memories in order to recollect happier days. He wondered how long it would take before he would completely forget his dad. Would he forget about mom too? Jack shook his head at such pointless and depressing thoughts.

He would _never_ forget his mom.

Still lost in his memories, Jack picked up a bundle of clothes and carried them under his left arm while his right hand firmly held onto the picture frame. He occasionally looked at it as he walked down the hall towards the bathroom.

~After the Fall~

Jack yawned again as he placed his dirty clothes in a plastic bag. While the bathroom here in the Autobot base wasn't the most glamorous, it still had everything he needed. It was only five thirty and even though he should still be sleeping, Jack wouldn't go back to sleep, he couldn't. He was not going to suffer through another nightmare. His plan was to wait until he was dead tired and the exhaustion would hopefully make some sort of shield against his own mind.

He decided that it would be best to explore. He'd never seen all that much of the base besides the time that the Scraplets had attacked and he'd had to fix that Energon leak; even then he hadn't really had the chance to take in his surroundings. Jack turned to go walk down the stairs, but paused when his eyes fell back onto the old family portrait. Deciding that it couldn't hurt, Jack grabbed the picture to bring with him.

He wasn't done remembering all the good times yet.

Jack walked down the first hall he saw aimlessly. He spent his time thinking about his parents, wondering what they both would have thought about the Autobots, had they had the chance to meet them. Mom would have blown a gasket if he'd told her about all the times he'd somehow been dragged into their fights. Jack had a feeling that his dad would have been cool with it, but would have been terribly jealous that he had Arcee.

Eventually Jack became so immersed in his thoughts, that when he finally paid attention to his surroundings, he realized that he was completely lost. '_Okay note to self. Next time bring bread crumbs._' He took a left turn at the next intersection and walked a good bit before he hit a dead end, as the hallway had led him to a door.

Jack didn't know what was behind the door, and he hadn't bothered to check if the Autobots had labeled any of the rooms, but he figured that if he wasn't supposed to go in there, they would have placed a 'Do Not Enter' sign. He didn't really expect the door to open for him anyway.

Surprisingly, the door did open for him and Jack knew right away that he shouldn't be in there, at least not without knocking first. Though there were differences, he could tell that he was in a bedroom, and if the size of the metal bed was anything to go by, then he was in Optimus's room. Speaking of Optimus, where was he if not in bed?

"Jack? Is there something wrong?" Optimus said from the shadowed alcove in the room that Jack hadn't noticed until now. '_Scrap, busted!_' He flinched as the Autobot came towards him, allowing Jack to see that Optimus had been working on some sort of Cybertronian doohickey.

"Uh… umm… No, no problem. I was just wandering the halls and kind of let my curiosity get the better of me. I'm sorry for coming into your room without permission." He said a little too fast and a little too nervously. He couldn't help it though, his dream was still fresh in his mind and he felt unbelievably embarrassed.

"It is alright Jack. It is natural for one to wish to explore their new home." Optimus said as he crouched down. Jack couldn't help but cringe at what Optimus had said, not only because his old home wasn't home anymore, but because the Autobot base wasn't going to be his home either. Jack knew what happened to orphans. He would either be sent to an orphanage or a foster home, but he hadn't had the heart or the guts to tell the Autobots yet. Hopefully Fowler would have to be the one to break that fortune cookie.

So instead of saying anything, Jack stared down at the floor, hoping Optimus wouldn't pick up on the fact that he was keeping secrets. The Prime lowered his large hand to rest in front of him and Jack, taking the hint, climbed on. Optimus carried him across the room and set him gently onto a table while the Bot eased himself down onto a makeshift chair.

"Jack what are you doing up, it is only six. It is not normal behavior for the young to sleep in?" Optimus asked, not in the interrogating way that his mom would have, but in a gentler kind of tone. It gave Jack the chance to answer truthfully or to kindly brush him off. For whatever reason though, Jack decided to give him a straight answer.

"I had a nightmare." He said simply. There, he told the truth, but he wasn't spilling his guts either. He looked up at Optimus and saw the gentle giant tilt his head in confusion. "A nightmare is a bad dream and a dream is sort of like a movie that your mind creates for you while you sleep." Jack continued and even though it wasn't the best description, it was a broad enough explanation to apprehend. Optimus nodded his head to show his understanding.

"Is it natural to have nightmares and dreams? Do humans get them often?" The Prime asked and Jack shrugged his shoulders in response.

"I suppose so. Not everyone has dreams, but I don't think they're not necessary."

"If they are not necessary then why do you have them?" Optimus said his voice once again questioning.

"Well, we can't really control them. Our subconscious decides whether we should have them and what they should be about. Usually they reflect on things that you've experienced or interacted with. Others can be about fantasy, things that normally wouldn't happen in reality. Some scientists believe that dreams have important meanings and that a dream is the brains way of telling you something. Nobody really knows where they come from or why we have them though." Optimus seemed interested and Jack briefly wondered if the Bot would look up more about dreams later.

"What was your nightmare about?" The Autobot leader asked, his voice coming out softer then Jack had ever heard before.

Jack gulped and he hoped it wasn't too audible in the too quiet room. The only person who'd ever asked about his nightmares was his mom. She used to say that talking about them with someone would make them less scary and it calmed the person down somewhat.

He didn't know if he wanted to tell Optimus though. What if Optimus thought he was a wimp? What if he… laughed at him for thinking of him like a father? Would he be insulted if he did tell him? Would he be insulted if he didn't tell him? Jack nervously scratched the back of his head. What if he told Optimus most of his dream, but not the parts about his mistaken identity? That could work, right?

"Well I found myself standing somewhere outside of Jasper, so far away that I couldn't really see it, just the lights. Airachnid was there and she had my mom." Jack saw Optimus's mildly curious look harden, and if he was honest with himself, the look was a little bit scary. "Dreams… can be funny things. While I was dreaming, I had no idea that it was just a nightmare. I thought that everything was real. I had forgotten that mom had already died, or my mind simply made me think that it never happened. In dreams that bend reality, it's easy to forget that there's a reality to bend." Jack said somewhat whimsically to himself.

"I tried to call for help, but I couldn't reach anyone. And then, out of nowhere, mom was saved at the last second, by you." Jack turned to look up at Optimus who seemed startled to find himself in Jack's dream. '_Good thing I didn't tell him that I thought he was my dad.'_

"We were reunited for a moment and I turned to watch the fight between you and Airachnid. When I turned back to talk to mom, I found her trapped in Megatron's clutches and it wasn't just her either. Knock Out had Miko, Starscream had Raf, and Breakdown had a hold of Agent Fowler. I was just about to start freaking out when the other Autobots arrived. You told Megatron to let everyone go, and he did." Jack muttered quietly. Optimus looked surprised that Megatron would do that, giving Jack even more of a reason to be wary of the leader of the Decepticons.

"They dropped them, and they all died like mom did." Optimus's face changed again, taking on that look of seriousness, a face that seemed to block out all emotions. "You and the other Autobots charged the Decepticons. You took on Megatron and Starscream. Arcee fought Airachnid and Bulkhead took Breakdown. Bumblebee fought Knock Out and Ratchet took on Soundwave. I went to the others, hoping that maybe someone survived. They didn't." Bile began to build at the back of his throat, but Jack quickly took a large swallow and forced it back down.

"When I looked back at the battle, the others had been killed and I had turned just in time to see Megatron run you through. I ran towards you past the others, you were sorry and then you died. Airachnid taunted me one last time before she stepped on me and then I woke up." Jack quickly finished so that he could stop talking. His throat had suddenly gotten sore and itchy; he knew what the sensation meant. It happened every time he refused to cry.

Jack didn't even know why he wanted to cry now. He hadn't cried after the dream, but now that he had said it out loud, he felt like becoming the next Niagara Falls. Horrified, he felt his eyes fill up with tears and he knew that they would fall if he blinked. His nose was starting to get runny and he couldn't help but sniff.

He stared down towards the table and hoped that from Optimus's height he wouldn't be able to make out his blotchy face. His eyes by now had become so full of tears that everything was blurry. Jack wondered if he could get away with wiping his eyes with his sleeve and risked taking a second sniff. Maybe he could play the situation off as allergies?

Jack's second sniff had been one too many. Optimus had quickly realized that something was wrong. He placed his servo in front of Jack's feet, letting the boy know that he was there since he seemed intent to keep staring downwards.

"Jackson?"

That did it. That broke the dam. Only two people had ever called him Jackson, his parents. He crumpled to his knees and buried his face into Optimus's hand, hoping to hide his shameful tears, but wanting to be comforted just the same. Jack turned to look up at Optimus and he could only imagine how pitiful he must have looked, but when he saw Optimus's worried expression, a small part of him was relieved to know that Optimus wasn't disgusted by him.

"That won't happen will it? Everyone's going to be fine, right? I couldn't bare it if I lost someone else. I don't want be left alone." Jack sobbed as he finally realized why he was so upset. At least it was a better reason than crying over nothing. Optimus brought up his other hand and stroked Jack's back as gently as possible. It reminded Jack of the way his mom used to rub circles in his back as she held him close while trying to calm him down.

"I cannot promise you that you will never suffer losses again Jack, but I do promise that I would give up my life if it could save others." Optimus said, repeating the vow that he'd made a long time ago.

New tears made their way into Jack's eyes and he felt like sobbing harder than before. He shook his head and buried his face deeper into Optimus's hand. It hurt a little, but the metal was warm and felt too much like embracing another human. To Jack, it was the most comforting sensation in the world and it made him feel safe.

Optimus paused in his stroking, wondering why Jack was now crying worse than before. He waited for Jack to calm down a little before they continued.

"I know that you'd sacrifice yourself if it would help someone, but why do you think that your life is worth less when compared to someone else?" Jack muffled into Optimus's hand.

"Would you not give your life for Raf? I'm I not allowed to do the same?" The Prime asked quietly.

"That's not fair." Jack said as he glared up at Autobot leader.

"It is perfectly fair. You know it is Jackson Darby." Optimus said his tone as hard as his armor. Jack flinched and tried to pull away, but Optimus's other servo held him in place. The Prime waited a few moments for Jack to answer his question. It was important that the boy knew that some acts of sacrifice were necessary. "Answer me Jack." Optimus said after five minutes of silence. Another three passed before he repeated himself. Another ten followed in silence before he started to get irritated.

"Jackson!" Optimus shouted, though he hadn't meant to. It had been more out of frustration than anger.

"I don't want to lose you too!" Jack shouted back, though he sounded far more hurt and afraid then frustrated or angry. "Please don't leave me. Don't leave me behind to go run off and sacrifice yourself for some noble cause." Jack said in a tired voice. It was only now that Optimus saw how tired the young human was. Jack was slumped against his hand, his optics barely open.

Optimus sighed; they'd have to finish this conversation later. Part of the reason for why Jack was so emotional right now was because of how tired he was. The boy continued to mumble things as he curled up in the space between his thumb and pointer digit. Optimus brought his other servo to rest gently over Jack to act as a blanket. He leaned in closer to peer down at Jack to make sure that he wouldn't accidentally hurt him. Jack yawned and spoke one last time as he closed his optics.

"Please don't leave me, dad." He whispered and Optimus felt his circuits freeze.

He understood what a 'dad' was. It was a Creator, a Sire to its' Sparkling. Miko had explained what parents were when Bulkhead had asked her about the difference between parents and host parents. The Prime didn't know how one became a 'dad' though, and Jack had never mentioned having one before. Perhaps Earth younglings chose who would become their parents? If so, why did Jack choose him?

Perhaps he just was over processing things. Jack had stated for his Sire not to leave, the boy had not necessarily been referring to him specifically. He was also half asleep, meaning that Jack was not running at full capacity. Optimus nodded at his logic, he had simply misunderstood.

Jack did not want to be his Sparkling.

Optimus stared down at his distraught charge and for the briefest moment, indulged himself with the fantasy of being a Sire.

~After the Fall~

First off, the reference to Brundlefly is from the movie The Fly (1986 film) and if you haven't seen it, I recommend you check it out before you go to bed tonight.

Secondly, Jack is basically on the edge of a mental breakdown from having seen his mom murdered. Such acts often affect people mentally, but instead of cracking, his mind creates a strong attachment with Optimus in order to cope. Jack realizes this and will try to fight it, knowing that forming a relationship that way can be as damaging as any other mental illness.

I want Optimus and Jack to have a father/son relationship. Jack is the first human that the Autobots met that doesn't have a father, so far anyways. I've always wanted an Autobot and a human to share that kind of relationship. I know Optimus may not seem like the best choice because of his lack of emotions, but having Jack around may soften the big guy up a bit.

~Hexalys~


	3. Gremlin

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to review!

**jared2492** said that it was out of character for Arcee not being there for Jack while he was hurting and I agree. Normally, she would be by his side non-stop, but this isn't a normal situation. Arcee believes that she failed Jack, another partner, so she's disgusted with herself and wondering if it's something that she's doing that causes her partners harm. I know that her way of thinking is messed up, but to me Arcee is the one of the most emotional and unstable characters on the show. She does make a small appearance in this chapter, but she and Jack won't have their "heart-to-heart" until the next chapter.

This chapter takes place during the events of Metal Attraction.

Now, tally-ho my good readers!

~After the Fall~

Chapter 3: Gremlin

Jack started to shift about a little as he began to wake up, so Optimus carefully removed his servo away from the young human. Jack yawned as he ruffled the hair on his head. The boy narrowed his optics and looked around the room with a puzzled expression. Once the young human sights landed on him, Jack's confusion cleared, but his face took on a pinkish color and he quickly looked in the other direction.

"Sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to break down on you." Jack mumbled while still avoiding his gaze.

"It is alright Jack. I understand that things are difficult for you right now." Optimus said gently as he continued to stare down at his charge. The boy ducked his head even further and Optimus couldn't help but wonder what Jack was thinking about now. Jack fidgeted under his stare, causing something to fall out from under his shirt and clatter onto the table. The boy quickly picked it back up and gave it a thorough examination, sighing with relief when he found his item undamaged.

"What is that Jack?" Optimus asked, trying to get the boy over his sudden uneasiness.

"It's a picture of my family from ten years ago." He stated quietly. Optimus noted that it was the first answer that Jack had spoken without any nervousness at all so far.

"May I examine it?" Jack smiled and held the picture up for him to see. He magnified his vision in order to get a better look. He could easily identify the woman as June Darby. Though he had never had the pleasure of meeting her, Jack had shown all the Autobots a picture of her. The child had taken a little longer for him to recognize, but there was no doubt that the young Sparkling was Jack. The adult male was unknown to him, but Optimus could tell that he was related to Jack after running a facial recognition program.

"That's me, my mom, and my dad from ten years ago. My parents had taken me to see an air show that day." Jack said fondly.

"I was not aware that you had a father. Why does he not live with you?" Optimus asked and ignored the twinge of sadness his Spark was radiating. He'd been right; Jack had not called him his Sire. It did not escape Optimus's notice when Jack's smile was replaced with a more melancholy one.

"I can't live with him. He died a few months after this picture was taken. He got sick… and just couldn't get better." Jack's voice was tired and resigned, but there was no masking the pain that was still felt from the loss of a loved one.

"I am sorry Jack." Optimus replied, for he knew how devastating it was to lose those you cared for to a disease. The Cybonic Plague and Tox-En had claimed many of his friends. Jack shrugged.

"It's okay, I barely even remember him anymore. Mom took his death a lot harder than me, but then again, kids really don't understand death. Mom had never gotten with another guy after fad died. I think she felt like she would be betraying him." Optimus nodded his head, he understood that too. After Elita One had perished, he too had sworn against taking another lover. It hurt to be alone, but it would hurt even more to betray his once Spark-mate. "So, what were you working on before I barged in here and became a nuisance?" Optimus inwardly frowned at Jack's speech pattern. The boy didn't seem to have a very high opinion of himself.

"I was going over a recent complaint made by the foreman working in the Jasper Junkyard. It would seem that the discarded metal located throughout the landfill has been disappearing. The worker hadn't reported this until now because the person taking the metal was not breaking any laws nor causing any trouble. However, three days ago he woke to find that his Mac Stationary Car Crusher had been vandalized. More specifically, he claims that it looked as if something had eaten through most of its metal exterior."

"Scraplets?" Jack asked, clearly remembering how much damage the small creatures could cause.

"I believe so, though I do not think there are many. If there were more, the Jasper Junkyard would already be an empty lot. I had planned to take a closer look later." Optimus said as he offered his servo for Jack to climb on to.

"Do you think that I could come with you? I mean, wouldn't it be safer to have an organic with you in case there's more than one?" Jack asked nervously. Optimus nodded his head in agreement. In truth, he'd told Jack about the situation so that he would ask to come along. They still had many things they needed to discuss.

"You do not need to list how useful you can be to me Jackson. You have proven yourself to being very capable in the past." Optimus said with a slight smile. Curiously, the shade of pink from earlier returned to Jack's face.

~After the Fall~

Jack sat on the couch, peeling a banana and waiting for his oatmeal to finish cooking. Optimus still had some work to do, so Jack had left the bot to continue in peace. '_Stupid! How could you fall apart like that in front of him like that? You're not six anymore Darby. You can't start crying every time you have a nightmare!_' He still couldn't believe that he'd fallen asleep on top of Optimus's hand! He had never been so embarrassed. '_Optimus must think I'm a wimp._' Jack thought gloomily.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of footsteps and looked up to see Ratchet walk into the room. Ratchet noticed him instantly and he could see the medics' entire demeanor change. Ratchet began to fidget and was pointedly looking away from him. If Jack had to take a guess, he would say that he made Ratchet feel uncomfortable.

He shrugged and got up to retrieve his oatmeal from the microwave. Quickly placing the hot bowl on the table, Jack used a plastic spoon to cut up a few pieces of the banana for his oatmeal. At some point Ratchet had made it to the terminal and began to work. Once he was sure that his breakfast wouldn't give him third degree burns, Jack dug into his meal. He could see from the corner of his eye that Ratchet was sending him some not so subtle glances. He'd even opened his mouth a few times, but would then close it before managing to say anything.

Jack easily understood Ratchet's problem. He wanted to say something that would help, he was a doctor after all, but he didn't know how to. Ratchet wasn't a very emotionally expressive person, preferring to keep himself closed off towards others. So it was difficult for him to show compassion even though he felt like he needed to.

Mom had told him about doctors who'd handled terminal patients that had acted the same way. They couldn't afford to let themselves care too much. If they did, it wouldn't be too long until they were crushed by their own emotions. They kept their distance, and sadly, got used to death. Eventually, after many years, they became rougher, jaded. Jack could only imagine how the harsh and horribly long war would affect the Autobot medic.

"You know Ratchet; I think you would have liked my mom." Jack said as he finally took pity on the old bot. Opening the conversation and forcefully including him would allow Ratchet the chance to say whatever he needed to say.

"Oh?" Ratchet replied and Jack struggled to keep his face impassive. Ratchet's response had sounded so weak and unsure. It was nothing like his usual grouchy self. Maybe Ratchet felt this way because his mom had been the first human to die at the hands of a Decepticon? "Yeah, she was a nurse and worked down at Jasper General. She helped a lot of people there and I bet you two could have learned a few things from each other."

"I'm sure she could have taught me many things about human biology." Ratchet agreed quietly. The room was silent for a few moments before Jack spoke again.

"Hey Ratchet? Why did you choose to be a medic?" Jack asked as he stared down at his food.

"At first, I hadn't agreed with the war… I had no desire to take a life. Before the war I had been an inventor, hoping to create things that would make the lives of my fellow Cybertronians easier." Ratchet said fondly. '_Well that explains the science projects fiasco._' Jack thought to himself and smirked. His science teacher had forbid him from entering another project for the rest of his school career after Ratchet's invention had nearly decapitated most of the class.

"When the battles started, I enlisted to be trained as a medic. Things were different back then. I had tended to the injuries of both sides. It wasn't until the war had escalated and the Decepticons had begun to show their true colors, did I finally choose a side." Ratchet continued, seemingly ashamed for having once been a neutral.

"Well isn't that what a medic is supposed to do? To help those in need, even if they may not deserve it?" Jack asked. His mom had treated several people over the years that others would not have.

"Yes, but I was helping Decepticons get better so that they could kill Autobots." The medic answered bitterly.

"But you said things were different. I'm sure that in the beginning, those who had joined the Decepticons truly believed that what they were doing was for the best of Cybertron. While they'd gone about it the wrong way, they had wanted to make things better. I can't believe that the Decepticons would start a war just for the sake of killing." Jack said as he turned away from his now cold oatmeal to look at Ratchet.

Ratchet paused at Jack's words and contemplated what the young human had said. Things had been different. At that time no one had been attacking each other out of hatred or with grudges. Most had been reluctant to fight one another, but both sides had believed in their cause and in the end were left with no choice but to fire at the ones they once called brother. Perhaps it hadn't been a mistake to treat both sides in the beginning.

"My mom treated a lot of people who some didn't think deserved to be saved. Even I couldn't understand why she saved some of those people. When I asked, she simply said the she'd made an oath to help any person, no matter who they were or what they'd done. It was her passion and her job to save people." Jack said as he tossed his barely touched food into the garbage. "Like I said Ratchet, you would have liked my mom." He said as he smiled up at the medic bot. His grin widened even further when he saw Ratchet give a small smile back.

~After the Fall~

Jack pressed pause on the video game he was playing as he heard the sound of Bulkhead and Bumblebee approach the base with Raf and Miko. He shared an annoyed look with Ratchet as Bulkhead pulled in with his stereo cranked up to the max, playing Miko's awful metal music.

"Jack!" Raf cried before the boy plowed into him. Jack couldn't help but smile at the display of his youngest friend.

"It's okay Raf, everything's going to be okay." He said quietly as the younger boy shot him a concerned look. Raf seemed to have calmed down from last night, but he still looked tired and miserable.

"**Are you okay Jack?**" He heard someone say, though it sounded like the person spoke with a weird accent and was somewhat unclear. Maybe Miko's music had finally broken his ears?

"Yeah, I'm fine thanks." He said and looked up at everyone in confusion as he heard most of them gasp. "What? What's wrong?" Jack asked bewildered at all the stunned looks everyone was giving him.

"You just answered Bumblebee." Raf answered in an awed tone.

"I did?" Jack asked in surprise. He turned to look up at Bumblebee who seemed to be bouncing up and down in his excitement.

"**You did! You did! Can you understand me now?**" Bumblebee asked, or rather, beeped. Jack nodded his head up and down, too shocked to say anything in response. While he could still hear the undertone of Bee's beeping, he could clearly make out what the yellow Autobot was saying.

"I wonder why you can understand Bee now, but couldn't before?" Raf mused out loud and Jack simply shrugged in return.

"Maybe it just took me a while before I was able to pick up his lingo. It'll be good to finally understand what you're saying though Bee." Jack said as he smiled up at the jumping yellow robot.

"What's got Bee so happy?" Arcee asked as she walked into the room joining the others. She looked down at Jack and gave him the best fake smile she could muster. She hadn't gone into recharge last night, but had been out on the roads.

All she could think about was how badly she'd screwed up last night. How much she had let Jack down. How he could even stand to be in the same room as her was a mystery to the Femme. She wondered why she couldn't protect her partners, first Tailgate, then Cliffjumper, and now Jack. Why was she such a failure?

"Jack can understand Bee now!" Raf answered excitedly as he nodded towards the older boy. Jack retuned her fake smile with one of his own. He knew right away that Arcee wasn't okay, but she was not one for public talks about feelings. He had to talk to her and soon, this wasn't a situation that could be avoided for long. Luckily Jack had something important to do before anything else today.

"Hey Arcee, can you take me to work?" Jack asked, noticing that he had most of the rooms' attention. Miko had already run off to start playing his previously paused game.

"Sure Jack, but isn't today your day off?" Arcee asked as she shifted into vehicle mode.

"Yep." He said simply as he climbed on and she headed out of the base. He closed his eyes and loosened his grip a little. It was moments like these that Jack enjoyed the most when riding with Arcee. He didn't have to worry about anything and could just enjoy the ride.

"Arcee, are you okay?" Jack asked hoping to get his partner to open up.

"I'm fine Jack." Arcee replied in a clipped tone that clearly stated that she was neither in the mood nor ready to talk just yet. Jack knew when to push things when it came to his partner and now was not one of those times.

"Alright not now, but can we go for a drive later tonight?" Jack asked hopefully. Going for a drive was Arcee speak for 'I have something important to reflect about and need to be alone.' Hopefully he'd be able to get more out of her later when all they could do was think about last night.

"Alright." She answered quietly and Jack gave a small smile at his little victory.

~After the Fall~

Jack sighed as he walked out of the K.O. Burger. He had just told his boss that he couldn't continue to work for him anymore. He'd apologized for quitting so abruptly and that he would have gladly done his two weeks, but he didn't know when he was leaving. His manager had startled him with what he'd said.

"It's fine Jack. You've been a great employee and if you ever need a good reference feel free to put me down for any future applications you may fill out... and Jack… I'm sorry about your mother. June was a good person." Jack had somehow managed to mumble out a thank you to his former boss while in his shock.

How had he known that his mom had died already? Suddenly the answer occurred to him, the obituaries.

Jack stared at the newspaper dispenser that was set outside of K.O. Burger. A part of him didn't want to read her death, having already witnessed it, but another part felt like he had to read it, hoping that it offered some sort of closure. With shaky steps and quick breaths, Jack slowly walked to the newspapers. He stared in disbelief at the cover of the paper.

'LOCAL MOTHER AND NUSRE COMMITS SUICIDE'

~After the Fall~

Arcee pulled back into the base and transformed as soon as Jack got off to find a way to calm her partner down. Jack had returned from his work fuming and carrying a crumpled newspaper, demanding to return to base immediately. She had asked him what had happened, but he had refused to say anything.

"Jack, please answer me! What's wrong?" She pleaded for what felt like the hundredth time. He ignored her and looked around the room, searching for someone.

Bumblebee and Raf weren't there, which he was glad for. Raf had never seen him mad before and he didn't want the younger boy there to witness what he was going to do. Miko was still playing the video game, but Bulkhead wasn't anywhere in sight. Ratchet stood nearby, eyeing him with obvious worry.

The young man let out a low growl as he saw Optimus speaking with Fowler. They hadn't noticed his arrival yet so Jack stalked towards them until he was a few feet away and attacked.

"_You bastard!_" Jack shouted as he punched Fowler in the stomach with all of his might. Fowler was launched several feet away and he landed on his back, gasping. Had Jack not been so angry he would have stared in amazement at his own strength. He went to charge at the downed agent again, but was stopped by Optimus who'd placed his hand in-between the two humans, acting like a wall.

Jack growled and tried to move around the unexpected Autobot blockade. Arcee came out of nowhere and gently, but firmly wrapped her arms around his front, preventing him from moving.

"Jack what are you doing?" She yelled as she struggled to hold her charge and to not hurt him either.

"You son of a bitch! How could you print those lies about her?" Jack shouted as he pushed against Arcee's grip, not noticing her stunned expression at the unusual amount of strength he was using.

Fowler finally pulled himself off the ground, grunting in pain and breathing heavily. He gingerly rubbed the bottom ribs on his left side and focused on ignoring the excruciating amount of pain that he was feeling.

"Jackson what is the meaning of your attack on Agent Fowler?" Optimus asked in a harsh tone and it was enough to make Jack stop struggling. He glared at Arcee and she quickly let her partner go. He flattened the newspaper he had yet to let go of and glared at Agent Fowler as he began to read the main article. Fowler paled when he saw what Jack was reading.

"Last night a tragedy like none Jasper has seen before took place as one June Darby took her life. June, a thirty-seven year old nurse and single Mother, had jumped off one of the high walkways down at the construction company ground site, leaving behind her only son, sixteen year old Jackson Darby. Reporters were unable to get a statement from Mr. Darby due to being taken into police custody earlier this morning." He stopped, unable to make himself read anymore.

"Suicide? That was the best you could come up with?" Jack yelled at Fowler incredulously, blind to all the wide-eyed stares he was getting from the others. "I understand that you couldn't say the truth, but you didn't have to say that she killed herself. Mom valued life; she would never take her own!"

"I didn't do the cover story; I had delegated one of my men to do it. I hadn't found out what was printed until I got the update this morning." Fowler said with difficulty as he struggled to stand up straight. "You have every right to be mad." Jack continued to glare at Fowler for a few minutes before he snarled and moved to stand next to Miko, who had been watching the scene quietly. He felt the eyes of everyone in the room follow him, but he didn't care. Never before had he felt this angry.

To have it said that his mother committed suicide was the highest insult to her memory. She had been a victim of a situation that she probably hadn't understood, not even when she was falling towards that unforgiving ground. She had been murdered by the most disgusting creature to ever exist and she deserved better. Now, whenever anyone would talk about June Darby, they would talk about the death she herself had supposedly wanted.

Arcee came over to stand by him and he sent her an appreciated look. Jack knew that what he'd just done had been wrong, but now was not the time to be lectured. He needed support and understanding; it was good to know that his partner still had his back.

"Perhaps it would be best for you to return at a later Agent Fowler." Optimus said quietly to the still pained liaison. He saw Fowler nod his head and watched with worry as the man staggered towards the exit. He turned to look at Ratchet and saw him also eyeing the liaison with concern, but didn't stop him.

Optimus turned his attention to Jack and saw the youngling glaring with all his might at the wall in front of him. While he could understand Jack's anger on the behalf of his creator's memory, he didn't approve of Jack's lack of self-control. Then again Jack was still young and still very emotional about his mother's death. Either way, it was just another topic that they needed to talk about.

"Jackson, I am leaving to inspect the anomaly I told you about earlier. Do you still desire to accompany me?" Optimus asked and he saw the boy flinch when he'd been addressed. Jack turned to Arcee who gave a small nod and started to walk towards Optimus.

The two stared at each other for a second before Optimus transformed and Jack got in.

~After the Fall~

Jack breathed a sigh of relief as he exited Optimus's cab. The silence of the car ride had almost been unbearable. Whenever he rode with Arcee, he felt relaxed and often enjoyed whatever conversations they shared. With Optimus, he'd been too nervous to say anything and it wasn't because Jack didn't like Optimus, because he did. Jack just kept expecting to be reprimanded for the various screw ups he'd made today.

First there was the whole barging into Optimus's bedroom thing. Next there was the pathetic breakdown he'd displayed. Then he fell asleep on the Autobot leader, preventing him from doing any more work. And finally he'd attacked the Autobot liaison for something that wasn't even the man's fault. '_Boy, you're on a roll today Darby._'

"It would be best to diverge from this point in order to expand our search. Contact me when you have discovered anything of Cybertronian origins." Optimus said and Jack nodded.

Jack wasn't worried about splitting up. He was organic so he was safe from being attacked by any Scraplets and Optimus could certainly take care of himself. Then again, Scraplets could easily detect when a Cybertronian was nearby. It would obviously go after Optimus once it picked up his scent, but Autobot leader probably deduced this already. Deciding that he too would need something to draw out the Scraplet, Jack grabbed the shiniest metal pipe he could find and continued down his chosen path, making as much noise as possible.

After an hour had gone by, Jack had stopped making noise. He was now following a trail of chewed on metal and knew by the increasing amounts of damage that he was getting close. Then suddenly, he heard it, or rather he felt it.

_Lost_. _Scared_. _Lonely_.

These emotions flittered across Jack's mind like quiet whispers that could barely be heard. It was a completely different sensation and Jack was so startled by it that he stumbled away from where he knew those emotions were coming from. His breath quickened and his eyes franticly searched the mountains of junk that surrounded him. Hesitantly, he took a step forward and saw something from the corner of his eye lunge towards him.

_Scared_. _Attack_. _Survive_.

Startled by sensing another onslaught of emotions that weren't his own, Jack wasn't able to dodge his attacking foe. He felt something sharp dig into his arm and he let out a hiss of pain.

_Hurts_. _Heals_. _Life Blood_.

Jack felt its confusion and though he could no longer feel any pain, whatever had attacked him certainly could. He looked down at what had bitten him and stared in shock at the oddly colored Scraplet that was attached to his arm. Unlike the Scraplets he'd previously faced, this one was not silver with blue optics, but black with orange optics. It pulled away and fell to the ground, jumping back a few feet, and stared at Jack. He cautiously looked down at his bitten forearm and saw only a few scratches from where its teeth had broken the skin.

Curiously, he stared at the little droplets of blood that seemed to rise out of the wounds. His blood was off color, paler than it normally looked. His observations came to a halt when the Scraplet let out a sound that reminded Jack of a high note on an electric keyboard.

_Curiou__s_. _Timid_. _Happy_.

Jack grabbed his head as he once again sensed the emotions coming off of the strange Cybertronian pest. It scuttled a little closer to him and sniffed the metal pipe he'd dropped during its attack. Timidly, it picked up the pipe and held it up to Jack who stared at the Scraplet in disbelief.

"Fetch?" He asked incredulously. Slowly he took the pipe away from the Scraplet and then threw it about ten feet way. Almost as if it were curious, the Scraplet tilted his head at Jack and basically sent him the emotions '_What now?_' "You go and get it then bring it back to me." Jack said and silently wondered why he hadn't already wrecked the pest and called Optimus. There was something off about the little Scraplet though. Maybe it was because he could feel its emotions?

"Retrieve." Jack stated instead as tried to feel what he'd said. Maybe the only way for it to understand him was through his emotions. He wanted that pipe back and he needed the Scraplet to get it for him.

Again the Scraplet let out a keyboard like sound as it flew off into the direction of the metal pipe. Seconds later it returned and dropped the pipe into his hands. Jack could feel its happiness, its relief to no longer being alone. He smiled as the little bot did twirls in the air that matched the light keyboard sounds it released. They both jumped when they heard a monstrous wail that reminded Jack of an out of tuned organ. The Scraplet lunged at him, burying its body into his, as if it were trying to hide.

_Scared_. _Hunted_. _Hungry_.

Jack wrapped his arms around the Scraplet as it began to shake. Whatever had made that noise was obviously a danger to the little Scraplet. Jack's cell phone started to ring and he quickly answered it, hoping that Optimus wasn't in trouble.

"Optimus are you okay? What made that noise?" He asked quickly as he began to jog down the path he'd just been on. Inwardly he hoped that each step he was taking would bring him closer to the Autobot leader.

"_I fear that the sound was made by a Queen Scraplet. Scraplets are similar to the Earth insect known as bees. However, a Queen Scraplet increases its' overall mass when it devours anything containing Energon._" Optimus said as he tracked Jack's location through his cell phone and made his way towards the young human.

"What's a Queen Scraplet doing here?" Jack said as he readjusted his grip on the still shivering Scraplet.

"_I suspect that it must have escaped the base during the Scraplet outbreak, however, it would not have journeyed unaccompanied. As a precaution, a small cluster of Scraplet Drones are with the Queen at all times._" Optimus replied over his comlink.

"Are they guards or something?" Jack asked his he stared down at the Scraplet that was terrified of its' own Queen.

"_No. They are the Queen's sustenance._" Optimus relied evenly.

"Wait! Are saying she eats them?" Jack shouted as he stared down at what was probably the last Drone in Jasper. '_Well that would explain why the Scraplet had felt so lonely._'

"_Correct._" Optimus answered as he calculated his distance from Jack. The narrow aisles of abandoned metal slowed him down and he estimated he'd reach Jack in five minutes.

Another loud roar went off in the Junkyard and Jack knew that the Queen was near him. He broke into a run, hoping to get as far away from his pursuer as possible. He heard and felt the tremors of the Queen's approaching feet and Jack dived behind a rusty pickup. After a minute, he took a chance and looked over the car's hood. The Queen was defiantly bigger than the other Scraplets he'd seen. She was tall, but not as tall as Arcee. She had a lighter sheen of silver that was almost white and her optics were a bright red. '_Not good! Not good!'_

The Scraplet dug in even closer to him. It's fear almost overwhelming his thoughts.

_Help_. _Save_. _Protect_.

Were the emotions the Scraplet projected and Jack wrapped his arms around the small creature, sending back emotions of reassurance.

_Protected_. _Safe_.

The Queen Scraplet turned towards Jack's hiding place and he quickly ducked his head behind the car again. He cursed himself for not thinking that the Queen could pick up on the Scraplets emotions too. It charged towards them and Jack bolted from his cover to race down the nearest path.

It was a dead end.

He turned around to see the Queen hovering over him, one claw shaped leg raised and ready to strike. He could hear Optimus's engine heading towards him, growing louder with each passing second, but it was too late. The claw was already coming down on him. Suddenly, a flash of black metal zoomed up towards the Queen and Jack could make out a row of silver sharpened teeth dig into the Queen's left optic.

_Protect_. _Family_. _Attack_.

Jack stared in shock as the little Scraplet continued to chew away at the Queen's optic. She trilled and thrashed, shaking her head in order to rid herself of her attacker. With one last mighty fling, the Scraplet was thrown into the ground at Jack's feet. He quickly rushed forward and picked up the little creature that had just saved his life. It blinked at him slowly and Jack was happy to see that it was only dazed and not hurt.

His attention was brought back to the Queen as she let out another howl and Jack could see the damage that the little Scraplet had done. Once where there had been a giant red eye was now a mess of exposed wires and leaking Energon. If only he had his survival kit now.

"Jackson!" Optimus shouted as he ran down the aisle that the battle was taking place in.

"Optimus! Her left eye is leaking Energon!" He shouted back.

Optimus nodded and leaped over the Queen Scraplet, avoiding her claws and landing in front of Jack. The Queen turned towards them and Optimus took his shot, landing a direct hit in the left optic. He turned around and bent over Jack, shielding him from the explosion. Once the smoke cleared, Optimus and Jack turned to see that the Queen's head had been blown into oblivion, leaving seared metal jammed into the rusted walls that made up Japer Junkyard.

"Are you alright Jack?" Optimus asked as he bent down to inspect his charge.

"Yeah, me and this little guy are just fine." Jack answered as he held up the Scraplet Drone for Optimus to see. Optimus's reaction was about what Jack had expected. The Prime was quick to raise up his still warm gun and pointed it at the dazed Drone. "No! Don't hurt him!" Jack cried as he brought the little creature close to his chest and shielded it from Optimus's sight.

"Jackson you know what harm those creatures can do to us." Optimus said as he lowered his gun, but didn't shut it down.

"But this one is different. We can understand each other. He won't eat anything I tell him not to." Jack argued as he continued to cradle the small creature.

Optimus narrowed his optics at the new information; Jack could now understand another alien creature that he'd been unable to before. First Bumblebee and now a Scraplet?

"Besides, he saved my life. If he hadn't attacked the Queen Scraplet, I would have been dead before you would've arrived. The damage done to her eye was done by this little guy." Jack explained and released his hold on the Scraplet. It floated in front of Jack and let out a happy note as it bobbed around his head. It turned and looked up at Optimus and Jack could read its' emotions.

_Threat_. _Food_. _Protect_.

Jack quickly sent his own emotions back to stop his new friend from doing something that would get him deactivated.

_Not Food_. _Safe_. _Family_.

The Scraplet turned to look at him, then back up at Optimus. It gave out another note of happiness and snuggled against the foot of the stunned Autobot. Jack laughed and pulled out his phone to take a picture. Miko would kill him if he didn't take some sort of photographic evidence of the adventure that she'd missed.

"So, can I keep him?"

~After the Fall~

Some of you guys are pushing for Jack to be turned into an Autobot, while others want him to stay human, and as much as I wish that I could please everybody, I can't. I'm sticking to the idea that I made concerning what will happen to Jack in the future, and I got to be honest, some of you won't be happy about it. I want to apologize in advance if your one of those people, but I have to write this story my way.

I made up the idea of Scraplets being similar to bees. The reason for why the chapter is called Gremlin is because that's going to be the little Scraplet's name. I know that I added a new character, but I had instantly fallen in love with Gremlin once I came up with him. Plus even though Gremlin is an OC, he won't have a major effect in the storyline or too many parts.

~Hexalys~


	4. Sorting Things Out

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to review!

Okay, his chapter is one of my shorter chapters, because it's not as spaced out as the others. It's mostly centered on emotions, but it gets the immediate dilemmas Jack has out of the way for the moment. I mainly focused on Jack's talks with Optimus and Arcee so don't expect any action in this one, just a bunch of mushy-ness.

…You may now commence reading…

~After the Fall~

Chapter 4: Sorting Things Out

'_I wish you could see this sunset mom._' Jack thought wistfully as stared out at the scenery of Jasper while he absentmindedly petted Gremlin while he slept. He had thought of the name, not because of the movie, but because of the myth.

In World War Two, many fighter pilots of all warring countries believed that their airplanes were being sabotaged by small mischievous creatures named Gremlins. Jack could easily imagine a Vehicon crashing into the ground while in jet mode because Gremlin had taken a few bites out of some very important circuits. He was startled out of this odd and humorous daydream by Optimus.

"I am sorry that I was late in my arrival to protect you Jack. I should not have ordered the separation of our group. Had I known that there was a Queen Scraplet in the area, I would have exercised more caution." Optimus apologized as he pulled off to the side of the road.

"It's okay Optimus. It's like you said, had you known about the Queen, things would have gone down differently. We're both fine though, so no harm no foul." Jack said and shrugged, hoping that the Autobot would pull back onto the road. Stopping here meant talking and Jack wasn't so sure that he wanted to talk right now, or ever really.

"Yes, we are indeed fortunate that the situation did not end worse. Had the recent events become grave though, I would have done whatever I deemed necessary to protect you." Optimus said and he noticed Jack's body stiffen against his seat. Optimus thought that perhaps he'd been too blunt, but Jack needed to understand, this admission needed to be heard. "I would and will sacrifice myself for reasons that are important Jack, just like the other Autobots. It is not because we want to, but because it is what must be done. Can you understand that?" He asked Jack and turned on his headlights as the sun disappeared from the horizon.

It was quiet for a few moments before Jack spoke.

"When my dad got sick, the doctors said that the only chance he had to live was with a bone marrow transplant. I was the best match, but there were so many risks. The chances of the procedure being successful were 50/50. My chancesof surviving the surgery were even lower, but that shouldn't have mattered. Even though there was a risk of me dying, it should have been a good enough reason to try if there was even the slightest chance dad would've lived." Jack paused and let out a shaky sigh. "I had needed my parents' consent, but they never gave it. I never got the chance to save my dad, so why should others get that option? Why do others get the chance to sacrifice themselves when I didn't? I_ begged_ Airachnid to take me instead of mom, but she denied me of that choice too! _Why can't I save anyone?_" Jack shouted as he slammed his fists into his knees and startled Gremlin.

His new friend gave out small sad notes as he picked up the feelings Jack was projecting and tried to comfort him with his own.

_Safe_. _Loved_. _Worried_.

Jack sighed and reigned in his emotions. He had already lost it once today and he didn't want to put Optimus through that again. He just felt so confused and hurt, but he was also mad at himself for feeling this way. Jack had always thought that he was strong, he had to be. For himself and for his mom, but meeting the Autobots had made him realize just how weak he was.

After joining the Autobots, it seemed like he was starting to fall apart. Even though they protected him several times, he felt frail and vulnerable. He felt… too human. When he compared himself to them, it was like comparing an ant to a person. He was insignificant, puny, and too oblivious to realize that there were some creatures out there that would enjoy squishing him just for the sake of exerting their superiority.

Jack supposed that he'd felt this way for a long time now, but his mom's death made these thoughts and feelings even more noticeable. He wished he could just go back to last night and start over. He couldn't help, but think about the things he should have done differently, though there was always a pessimistic voice in the back of his head that said no matter how many redoes he had, he would never be able to save his mother from Airachnid.

There was one thing Jack was certain of though. He didn't regret meeting the Autobots, how could he? It wasn't their fault that he felt this way or that his mom had died. It was his own damn doing.

"The young should never be the ones to perish." Optimus said simply. He knew that to Jack the situations seemed unfair, but he silently agreed with the boy's parents. No youngling should be put into such a dangerous situation. However, the Prime knew that a young Orion Pax would have said differently. A young Orion would have understood Jack's desire to sacrifice himself for others and in a way, Optimus understood that too, he just couldn't condone it.

To a point, Optimus could see the argument Jack was trying to make, but the child did not understand that the younger generation always came before the previous one. That sentiment could only be understood with age and experience.

Jack glared out of the windshield, angry with Optimus's reply. A life was a life, it shouldn't matter how old or young someone was. If they had the chance to save another, then that chance should be taken, despite the risks. It wasn't a fair answer, so just to be spiteful, he asked an unfair question.

"So if Raf and I were going to die and you could only save one of us, the only logical excuse would be to save Raf because he's younger?" Jack asked in a hard tone and a part of him hated himself for asking such a horrible question. It wasn't fair to put Optimus in such a situation, but he didn't want to lose this argument and truthfully, he didn't want to hear Optimus's answer.

Jack would save Raf. He cared greatly for his little friend and he could never imagine what he'd do if Raf died, especially if he could have prevented it. Jack just wasn't sure if he wanted Optimus to agree with him. As horrible as that thought was, Jack knew why he felt that way.

If Optimus said he'd save Raf, he knew he'd feel less important to the Autobot, and right now he didn't think his psyche could handle that kind of rejection. Then again, he would probably be disappointed in Optimus if he said he would save him and forego Raf's life. It was a lose-lose situation and Jack hated himself so much right now for making it.

"I would save you both." Optimus said startling Jack out of his turmoil filled thoughts. "There is always another way Jack, however, that doesn't mean that one will always succeed. I would save you both or die trying."

Jack slouched in his seat and placed his head against the steering wheel. That was such an Optimus thing to say, and he had no doubt that what the Autobot said was true. Optimus would be able to do it too. Maybe Jack could never be as strong as Optimus and the other Autobots, but that didn't mean he was destined to stay weak forever. He smiled as he felt the seatbelt wrap around him gently, reminding the young man of the hugs his parents used to give him.

"I get it Optimus. There are some things that a person has to do. Not for himself, but for others. If any of you do ever… die, I'll stay strong not only for myself, but for Miko and Raf as well." He said as he griped the steering wheel tightly.

It was a promise to be strong; stronger than he was now, and it was an oath that Jack hoped he would never have to fulfill. Optimus didn't say anything else as he pulled back onto the road, but Jack's seatbelt squeezed him a little tighter and that was enough for him.

"Now, perhaps we should discuss the apology you owe Special Agent Fowler." Optimus said with a lighter tone.

"I know… I screwed up bad… worse than bad. I was just so angry that someone could print such a horrible lie. Mom had died a victim and it seems like her memory is going to suffer the same thing. She was such a strong person, Optimus; she would never do something as stupid as suicide." Jack said and took a calming breath so the he wouldn't work himself into another rage filled frenzy.

"I understand that you must protect Ms. Darby's honor Jack, but resorting to violence was not what the situation called for. Had you controlled your emotions better and confronted Agent Fowler about the offensive article, you would have learned that he did not create the lie and he would not have been hurt." Optimus said and felt Jack flinch in his seat.

"I know, I acted before thinking, and I should have handled it differently. Mom wouldn't have approved of what I did either. I'll apologize to Agent Fowler as soon as I see him." Jack said as he straightened his posture a little.

He was not looking forward to talking with the man and it wasn't because he had to apologize. He honestly did feel terrible about the whole thing now and he didn't need anyone else to tell him that he needed to make amends. No, it was not the apology that worried Jack; it was the conversation that was bound to happen afterwards.

Agent Fowler would be telling him where he was going to live now. It was out of the question for him to stay with the Autobots. Jack Darby simply couldn't disappear and he didn't want to. He still wanted to grow up and have a normal life, which was something he obviously couldn't have with the Bots.

It was just that he couldn't shake the ominous feeling that his time with the Autobots was coming to an end. And Jack felt like he would never see them again.

~After the Fall~

Jack and Optimus arrived at the base a little later than they had intended, but with a Queen Scraplet and their little talk, it was to be expected. Miko and Raf were getting ready to return home by the time they got back. Even though the ride to the Junkyard had been uncomfortable, the ride back had been more… well not comfortable, but better.

After the scolding, Jack had tried to break the permeating silence by turning on the radio. Optimus had told him that Fowler had played some country music for him before, but hadn't cared for it. After fiddling with the channels, he stumbled onto a Frank Sinatra song. Optimus said that he liked it and Jack could have sworn he saw the Prime's window wipers tapping along with the song Fly Me to the Moon.

Who would have figured Optimus Prime would be fan of Old Blue Eyes?

Jack smiled as he got out of the truck that was the leader of the Autobots and walked over to Miko and Raf while carrying a curious Gremlin in his arms. It really wouldn't help the Scraplets cause if it started munching on the other bots before Jack could say otherwise.

"Optimus, you're a little late. Did everything go all right?" Ratchet questioned as he turned to his leader and took a quick glance at Jack, spotting something in the boys' arms. "SCRAPLET!" Ratchet cried, alerting everyone to their new guest. Bulkhead was quick to hide behind Arcee as she pulled out her guns and pointed them at a still sleepy Gremlin.

"Autobots, at ease." Optimus ordered firmly, and even though they were still unsettled by Gremlin, they did as ordered with little hesitation. It never stopped to surprise Jack just how the quick the Autobots were in obeying a command given by Optimus. "There were complications Ratchet, hence our delay. A Queen Scraplet had been concealing itself in the Jasper Junkyard. Jack befriended this Scraplet Drone and it protected him until I arrived." Optimus explained.

"Oh cool! Are you keeping him? What's his name? How come he's a funny color?" Miko said as she started to examine Gremlin who preened under her curious gaze and positive feelings.

"Well I want to keep him and his name is Gremlin. I guess the reason for why he looks different from the other Scraplets is because he had a different purpose, he's a Drone. The other Scraplets we saw were workers and scouts." Jack answered as he pulled his new friend closer to him and sent out the right emotions so that Gremlin wouldn't eat the Autobots. Gremlin looked at him and returned that he understood before he started to examine Raf's hair.

"_What!_ Of course you can't keep it! Those things eat us! Surely you didn't tell him that he could keep that… that…_pest_, Optimus?" Ratchet continued to shout as he turned onto his stoic leader.

"Jack is able to understand our new ally and it can understand him. He has promised me that he will take responsibility for Gremlin. I would not allow a threat to reside in our base Ratchet." Optimus replied and hoped that his old friend realized the seriousness of this unusual situation.

Ratchet opened his mouth to argue some more, but paused as he thought over Optimus's words. Jack being able to understand a life form that even they couldn't was… inconceivable. It would be as if Arcee could suddenly understand the Earth creature known as rats.

"Be that as it may, Optimus. I don't feel comfortable having _it_ here." Ratchet said in a subdued tone as he shot the Scraplet a disgusted look. He held back a shiver as the Cybertronian vermin buried itself into Rafael's hair, much to the human's apparent pleasure.

"We can't just send him away! He's really well behaved and he does what I tell him to. He was so lonely and scared in that junkyard. Do you know his sole purpose in life is to get eaten?" Jack said indignantly and he heard gasps from both Miko and Raf.

"That's horrible! Poor little guy." Raf said as he tried to pet the Scraplet that was still playing with his hair.

"Yeah, you guys can't just send him away like that!" Miko added and Gremlin gave out a little happy note of delight as he felt the protective feelings Jack was displaying.

"Please guys! Let me keep him." Jack asked desperately and was suddenly reminded of the time he'd brought home a stray cat when he'd been eight. Mom had said no, but they had cared for the cat until she had found someone who had taken it in.

Jack couldn't say it out loud, but he needed the Autobots to say yes. The idea of taking care of Gremlin made him feel like he was saving the Scraplet, which he probably was. If the Autobots said no, they would most likely send Gremlin into the Artic where his friend would be frozen for all time. Gremlin, sensing Jack's distress, rubbed up gently against his leg out let out a low key note.

"Aaaawww!" Miko, Raf, and surprisingly Bumblebee, crooned.

"**I think we should keep him.**" Bumblebee said and Bulkhead took a hesitant step towards Gremlin.

"What'll happen when it gets hungry?" Bulkhead asked as he took to hiding behind Miko and looked utterly ridiculous doing it.

"I'll just feed him some scrap metal." Jack said and sent Gremlin emotions that said Bulkhead was afraid of him. He bit down on his lip to keep himself from laughing as he saw Gremlin puff up his chest in pride.

"Well if Jack says the Scraplet is okay, then that's good enough for me." Arcee stated as she bent down and started to pet Gremlin. Jack nearly choked as he felt the emotions Gremlin was putting out.

"What's so funny Jack?" Raf asked when Jack started to chuckle. He looked over at Gremlin and chuckled even louder as the Scraplet started to hum happily as it rubbed against Arcee's legs affectionately.

"Nothing, it's just that Gremlin really likes Arcee." Jack said as he continued to snicker. No one except for Miko seemed to get what he was saying and she chuckled too.

"Fine, it seems I'm out voted here anyways. Just keep that thing away from my tools." Ratchet growled out as he turned to said tools.

Jack was about to promise that he would, but stopped when the proximity sensors went off to let everyone know that Agent Fowler had come back. Arcee shot him a worried look and he sent her a small reassuring smile to let her know that he was fine now.

Agent Fowler walked in a little slower then he normally would and Jack flinched as he realized that he must have hurt the man more then he'd originally thought. He gave Gremlin to Raf and told him to behave himself. Gremlin let out a few high notes of understanding before he started to play with Raf's hair again. Jack looked up at Fowler and straightened his back, ready to face any retribution the man wanted.

"Let's go up top to get some privacy, okay son?" Fowler said and Jack nodded. They walked into the elevator and Jack noticed Arcee's still worried look as the doors closed. The minutes in the elevator were quiet and uncomfortable for Jack, but Agent Fowler didn't seemed to be bothered at all. They walked out into the warm Nevada night air and Jack could see the lights of his hometown in the distance. He wondered, not for the first time, if he could somehow stay in Jasper.

"I'm sorry for hitting you, sir. The only excuse I can offer is that I was mad and that's not a good reason to ever hit someone." Jack said as he remembered the words his Mom had told him after he'd gotten into a fight with another kid when he'd been younger.

"It's fine Jack. You had every right to be mad. I probably would have done the same thing if I was in your position, heck, most people would." Agent Fowler said as he brushed off Jack's apology. "You do have one hell of a right hook though, broke two of my lower ribs. My guess is that all that adrenaline you had gave your punch quite the boost." Fowler said with an amused look as he saw Jack's shocked face.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Jack said both appalled and amazed at his own strength.

"Don't worry about it. I came here to talk to you about more important things. I've arranged for your mother's wake to be held in a few days. The burial will be the next day after. Is there anything else you want me to do? Your mother never specified that she wanted something specific in her will in the case of her funeral." Fowler asked and Jack nodded his head.

"Could we keep the ceremony as small as possible? I don't think I could handle it if the whole town came and offered their condolences. Also, I haven't asked them yet, but I want the Autobots to be there at the… burial." Jack said hoarsely. The next week was going to be hard and he couldn't wait to get it over with.

"I can do that. The bots will have to be in disguise, but it shouldn't be a problem. Also, I checked for any family members that would want to take you in. I found that you have a second cousin on your father's side who says he'll take you. He lives in a little town about four hours away from here and his name is Clancy Brown. I've checked him out and he's clean." Fowler said and Jack just nodded.

A lump had formed in his throat. He wasn't going to be staying with the Autobots then.

"I'm sorry that things have to be this way Jack." Agent Fowler said and Jack didn't doubt it. The man sounded like how Jack felt. He offered the man a sad smile.

"Yeah well, you get to be the one to tell the Autobots." Jack chuckled at Fowler's dumbstruck and horrified look.

~After the Fall~

Jack sighed as Arcee pulled out of the Autobot base and onto the barren dirt roads of Jasper. He and Fowler had talked about a few more details for his Mom's funeral, leaving Jack to go down the elevator alone. Fowler had decided to tell the Autobots about Jack's new residency after the funeral.

Humph, chicken.

Jack had returned to find that Miko and Raf had already left. Optimus and Arcee had waited for him and he somehow got out of telling them about what he and Agent Fowler had talked about. Arcee had then reminded him that she had promised him a ride and he quickly hopped on to avoid Optimus's suspicious gaze. If there was one thing Jack had learned today, it was that, for whatever reason, he just couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut around Optimus.

They drove silently for a good twenty minutes before Arcee stopped on top of the cliff that hung over the base. He silently got off, sensing his partners somber mood and she transformed. She walked up to the edge of the cliff and Jack followed, wondering what they were doing up there.

He spotted what looked like a crude grave made out of a mound of rocks, standing at about his height. Jack said nothing as he and Arcee stood in front of the grave mark he now realized belonged to Cliffjumper. He waited patiently for Arcee to speak, knowing that it took a while for the Femme to gather the strength to say what she needed to.

"I lost Tailgate and then Cliffjumper… I almost lost you to Airachnid and I failed to save your mom." Arcee said with such anguish that it startled Jack. "I'll understand if you want a new guardian."

Arcee could never say it out loud, but she had felt a little jealous at seeing Jack getting out of Optimus's cab earlier. The smile on her charge's face had been the first honest one she'd seen since before last night and it hurt a little to know that she hadn't been the cause. She felt shameful now for the way that she'd hidden from Jack, how she'd been so caught up in her own emotions that she'd forgotten about him in a way. She'd forgotten that it was Jack who'd really suffered from last night, not her.

It hadn't escaped her notice of the Prime's more protective nature either. Arcee half expected for Optimus to tell her that her duty in being Jack's guardian was no longer required, as he would be taking that position. A small part of Arcee hoped that would indeed be the case, because Optimus could certainly be a far better guardian than her.

Optimus would make sure that Jack would never be hurt again.

The Femme's thoughts turned to the days' earlier events; she'd seen Airachnid again. Arcee had fought hard against the Decepticon, but she hadn't been able to exact revenge for herself and Jack. Worst of all was that the taunting and heckling Airachnid had said earlier seemed to have an effect now. Somehow, Airachnid had always been able to find the places that still hurt and attacked them ruthlessly. Whatever doubts Arcee had felt about herself before now had swelled so much she could hardly think of anything else.

"What? Arcee I could never replace you! I may not know everything about those situations, but I do know that none of those deaths were your fault." Jack said to his dower partner, bringing the Femme out of her haunting thoughts.

"How can it not be my fault? I'm obviously too weak to protect others, it would be best if someone else became your guardian!" Arcee shouted as she wrapped her arms around herself.

Jack stared up at her in disbelief. Did she really think herself weak? Arcee was the strongest person he knew. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he couldn't help but notice that he felt the same way about himself that she did. They really were perfect to be each other's partners after all. He couldn't let Arcee tear herself apart like this though. She was nothing like him, she was strong.

"You've survived where two of your partners died. You've been through eons of war and yet you're _still fighting_. You're the strongest person I've ever met and I'll be damned if I see you quite now. Would Tailgate and Cliffjumper blame you for their deaths?" Jack asked and she shook her head, stunned at the sudden ferocity that filled his words. "I know mom would never blame you! She'd probably thank you for protecting me." Jack said more calmly as he walked up to stand beside her and looked at Cliffjumper's grave. He leaned against her side and continued talking.

"I'm not stay strong on my own, I know that now. I need you to be there for me and it looks like I need to be here for you too. So how about we promise to never give up on each other. I'll push you forward and you can push me. I know we can get by." Jack said quietly. He knew things would change, had already changed, but one thing was certain. "No matter what happens, I'll always be you partner Arcee. I won't ever leave you behind. So please, I'll I want now is for you to do the same thing."

Arcee stared down at her partner as he spilled his heart out to her. Never had anyone said that they needed her so badly. Emotions were often something Arcee tried to shut out; she couldn't afford to have a bleeding Spark, not in the middle of a war. Yet, Tailgate had made her care and eventually Cliff had made her open up again when she'd tried to harden herself. Jack, well he simply refused to let her be closed off again and she appreciated that, even if she would never say so.

She took in Jack's strong posture and even though he looked sad, he also looked so determined. What about, she wasn't sure, but for whatever reason she found him to be awe inspiring at the moment. Just for a second, the image of Jack being an awkward human teenager melted away and she saw something more.

She gently placed her servo on his back and she felt her Spark pulse suddenly. Jack seemed to be shining all the qualities that would have put any other bot to shame. He kind of reminded her of Optimus, but even then that description didn't fit. He seemed to exude an aura that she couldn't describe, but whatever it was, it suited her partner.

"I promise to never abandon you Jack." She whispered back quietly and was rewarded with a smile wider than the one she'd seen him give Optimus earlier. For whatever reason, that simple action alone made her Spark beat even faster.

~After the Fall~

Good, we have now cleared out the more immediate emotional issues. I won't be going too deep into the funeral next chapter, but continue into episode nineteen, Rock Bottom. The name of Jack's relative is important. If you look it up online, it should give you a clue as to what will happen in the future, but please don't spoil it for everyone else!

I really don't know how well that last scene between Jack and Arcee worked out. They are in a stage of their relationship where they are just starting to develop deeper feelings for each other. I hate it when a character just wakes up one day and decides that they love someone. I also don't think that Arcee would be all that attracted to Jack if he started to weep all over her. His words seemed to stir something in her, but she's basically oblivious to it.

Her sudden vision of him being something more was a bit of foreshadowing that I simply couldn't resist to put in.

~Hexalys~


	5. Rock Bottom

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to review!

I received a question on how quickly the relationship between Jack and Arcee will progress romantically. To be honest, I've always been more of a slow burn/slow build up type of person. Stories where the established characters fall in love for no apparent reason just get on my nerves. There may be some teases here and there, but nothing solid until later chapters.

Now read and enjoy!

~After the Fall~

Chapter 5: Rock Bottom

Jack stared at the grave his mother had been lowered into three hours ago.

Arnold, the gravedigger, had come and gone twice already after finding that Jack was still paying his last respects. Miko and Raf had left with their parents, or host-parents in Miko's case, about two hours ago and he was glad for that. Jack wanted to stay here for the rest of the day and there was no way he would have done it if Miko and Raf had decided to stay with him.

Her coffin was one of the finest the funeral home in Jasper had to offer. Agent Fowler hadn't been kidding when he said he'd handle everything, he had taken care of all of the costs for his mom's funeral. It wasn't like Jack could have paid for it anyways.

He had no claim on his mother's life insurance because of her supposed suicide. Whatever money he had now was what he'd saved from working at K.O. Burger, which wasn't much. Any debts his mom had left behind had been taken care of by selling most of their possessions. His house was now bare of most things, what little items he had left were small and personal effects. Their house would go onto the market tomorrow.

Not many people had shown up for her wake, fortunately. They were mostly people who had worked with his mother at the hospital and some people from his neighborhood. It had been a closed casket ceremony, for obvious reasons, and the room had held more flowers than Jack had ever seen. A few people had spoken about funny stories they had of his mom, while others told him about the lives she'd saved.

Jack had spent most of his time with a man named Russell Kane, a former convict. Russell was an imposing man, standing at seven feet and covered in tattoos. His dyed silver hair and black leather clothing made him stick out like a sore thumb in the otherwise posh and pristine room.

Jack had been standing a little bit away from the casket with a line of people in front of him, all waiting to give their condolences, when Russell had entered the room. Most of the people had shied away from the man, but after being shot at by giant alien robots, Russell hadn't seemed very frightening to Jack.

"Jack Darby?" Russell had asked in a deep Brooklyn accent as he shook Jack's hand. Jack nodded at the man, noticing the scars that marred his calloused hands. "Name's Russell, I used to be a friend of your mom's through your dad. He and I were best buds when growing up. Your mom was kind enough to patch me up whenever I got myself hurt."

That caught Jack's attention and he spent the rest of the day listening to Russell tell him about the dumb things his parents had done in their youth. It was nice to know more about his dad, and Jack was surprised by how little his mom had told him, though he could understand her reasons when he found out that his dad had lead a gang.

They had been known as the Drifters and Jack had raised an eyebrow at the rather cheesy name. Russell had explained that most of the members of the gang had nowhere else to go. They had no ties to anyone except themselves. The gang had been more about giving them all a place to belong, a family. One day his dad had just left the Drifters with his mom in tow and they had never gone back. Russell had taken over the Drifters once dad had left and he was now in charge of twelve other members. Most of them were former criminals who had gone straight, but kept questionable ties to the life that they had once led.

Russell had told Jack that he always had a place waiting for him in the Drifters and Jack had thanked him but said that he was already in a "gang" called the Autobots. Russell had congratulated him on finding his own family. Jack hadn't seen Russell at the funeral earlier today, but he hadn't expected to. Russell had told him that he hated funerals.

Jack looked up as he noticed Arnold approach him again and he felt bad that he kept the man from doing his job. He reluctantly turned away from the grave and moved to where Arnold stood off to the side, fidgeting. A wave of dizziness suddenly over took him and Jack would have fallen face first into the ground if Arnold hadn't caught him in time.

"Ouch!" He said as he felt like something had sharp pinch its way into his forearm. He steadied himself after a minute and Arnold looked at him in concern.

"Are ya okay kid? Sorry about hurting ya. I should have been gentler when I caught ya." Arnold said and Jack looked down at the area where he'd felt that pinch. His sleeve was torn a little, but whatever injury Arnold had done wasn't bad enough to leave any marks on his skin. Jack brushed off Arnold's apology and offered his own.

"Sorry about that, I haven't eaten today and I guess everything just caught up with me." In truth Jack had eaten very little since his mom had died. It wasn't because he was depressed or anything of the sort, he simply hadn't felt hungry. In fact he felt the opposite, Jack always felt like he'd just eaten a huge meal now. He ate a little and it seemed to work for him so far, but maybe that dizzy spell had been a sign that he should eat more. Or it could have been another symptom to add to the growing list of strange things that had started to happen to him.

Only two days ago his chest had started to hurt. It wasn't too painful or anything like that, but it was like a dull ache that turned on and off at random. He had started to sleep less too, but he didn't know if that was because he was developing insomnia or not. His nightmares only seemed to get worse with each passing night, so he'd taken to staying up late and getting up early.

"I'll leave in a couple of minutes, okay Arnold?" Jack asked and the gravedigger shook his head. Jack was glad to see that Arnold seemed to have calmed down from whatever nervousness that had been plaguing him earlier.

"I didn't keep coming back here because I wanted ya to leave lad, but because I didn't want to leave ya all alone. People should never have to grieve alone." Arnold said and Jack saw him clench his hand around something in his coat pocket.

"Well, it's about time that I got going anyways. Just let me say goodbye." Jack replied tiredly as he looked back at the open grave.

"Take as long as ya want kid." Arnold said as he walked off to leave Jack in peace. He moved over to the grave next to his mother's and laid down some flowers unto Joshua Darby's tombstone. He'd never really paid his respects to his dad, having been six when he'd died. He was still confused about the lives his parents had led before he'd been born, but Jack knew he couldn't get any answers from them now.

He looked away from the graves and back towards the five vehicles that were still parked along the road. The odd assortment of cars had warranted some attention from the people who had come to June Darby's funeral, but any thoughts about the odd automobiles had been quickly forgotten once the funeral procession had started.

Jack had taken what Russell had said seriously. The Autobots were more than just company or friends now, they were family.

"Mom, dad, I want you guys to know that I'll never forget you. You'll always be my parents, but I think I've become a part of a new family. The Autobots are the last survivors of their own race and I'm the last of the Darby's. I guess it's only natural that I'd find solace in them. They're involved in a lot of dangerous things, but they'll protect me." Jack said before he moved away from the graves of his parents and toward the Autobots.

"I'll always love you." He whispered to the wind before he got onto Arcee. "Goodbye."

~After the Fall~

Silas smiled as he stared down at the Vehicon MECH had managed to capture. The Decepticon soldiers had been mining some strange crystal from a deep underground cave when MECH had picked up their signal. Thanks to the information they had been able to gather from their work on Breakdown, they had been able to trace their signal rather quickly, much like when they had found Airachnid.

Unlike with Airachnid, he had not charged head first into things this time. Instead he had waited until the opportune moment and had taken a Vehicon who had strayed from the others. It was only the ground type model, but he didn't push his luck to get something better. Sometimes you had to settle for second place in order to win in the long run.

The Vehicons detainment had been four days ago and he'd yet to see any movement from the Autobots or Decepticons. Apparently the automatons only rescued their own when one had proven themselves to be a valuable warrior. They had taken the body apart bit by bit, but had made sure that the Spark was undamaged. The Vehicon had been quick to supply the measures that needed to be taken so that it wouldn't die. Now, Silas could finally begin Project CHIMERA. The plan was to recreate his own weapon; to make it stronger, faster, and smarter than the Autobots.

The word Chimera had several different definitions. One stated that it was a mutation in an organism, another that it was an impossible idea or hope. Then, of course there was the mythological creature, a beast made from several different animals, taking the best attribute each creature had to offer to make a mightier beast.

Silas, personally, felt that Project CHIMERA was all of those ideals.

He wanted a warrior, an unbeatable soldier who would be able to stand up against the Autobots and the Decepticons. The Vehicons had proven time and time again that they were unsuitable for the task. The problem didn't lay in their armor or weapons, but in their mind. A Vehicon could process information as fast as any Earth computer; they could initiate preprogrammed battle plans in a matter of seconds, and followed orders to the letter.

What they lacked was personality, individuality, spontaneity. The lacked the ability to think about what to do when cornered, but it wasn't their fault. They had been designed that way, they had purposefully been limited. They had been made for the sole purpose of serving as grunts for the Decepticon cause. He needed to fix that, and it wasn't like he could just reprogram the Vehicon. The system it used was on a level of technology that his men couldn't even begin to understand. It was far too alien to them.

He had tortured the Vehicon for two days before it told him how to solve the problem.

If he could somehow get his hands onto another Transformer, one who had a "personality" for lack of a better word, he could then fuse their Sparks together. Essentially the two Sparks, or consciousness, would combine into one being consisting of both personalities. The second Spark would become the dominate personality in the new shared Spark because of the Vehicons weak programming or disposition. It would still reside in the shared Spark, as would all of its' knowledge and experience, but the faulty programming would no longer be a hindrance.

So, he basically just had to capture another Transformer. One of the more important ones that the Autobots would be sure to notice when it went missing and would no doubt try to foil his plans _again_. That solution wasn't an option, so they had continued to study the Vehicon and tried to find a different answer to their little problem and it looked like that answer lied in Jackson Darby.

It had been six days since the death of June Darby. Three days since her funeral and the latest mission for one of his men. He'd sent one of MECH's more talented agents to pose under the guise of a gravedigger. He had decided to keep tabs on Jack, whether so he could recruit the boy or to use him as leverage, had yet to be decided then. The agent's mission was simple enough, to get a sample of the boy's blood without him knowing it.

The main reason was so that Silas could see if being around the bots had affected the boy in some way, they had. Whether they knew it or not, the Autobots were changing Jack. The first clue had been the color of the blood that his agent drew; it was a disturbingly pale red. After running several tests, he'd found that some sort of virus was breaking down and recreating Jack's body.

His scientists believed that the virus was actually a Transformers DNA mutating Jack's body. The Vehicon had said that it was probably Life Blood, Energon, the only fuel source that kept the Transformers alive and was what the Vehicon had been mining when he'd been caught.

It was also apparently deadly for humans, which the tests proved to be conclusive. Jack was slowly dying. It was for that reason that Silas didn't think that the Autobots knew about the changes Jack was going through. The boy was becoming stronger, more durable. His body was slowly starting to wean itself from need for food and sleep. His mind was evolving, though not in the way of gaining more intelligence, but in understanding the aliens' languages and meanings. Jack was also developing a Spark of his own, which was what was really killing him.

It was pure energy and it was burning away his insides, especially his heart.

The Vehicon had said that Jack was becoming a techno-organic, a being that never lived for very long. Whenever a techno-organic had been made in the past, they died because of their Spark. Their bodies had changed, but not enough to properly maintain a Spark. So as the Spark slowly destroyed them from the inside out, the Spark itself would also slowly die because it could not get any Energon.

Truly fascinating.

Silas wasn't too worried about Jack's situation though. He had already made arrangements for the boy. In four days, Jack would be in his custody and then the real work for Project CHIMERA would begin.

~After the Fall~

Jack sighed from the rock he was sitting on while Miko paced impatiently next to him, even though his mother's funeral had been two days ago, it felt like she had only died yesterday, not a week ago. He was handling it well; sometimes he even forgot what had happened. It was only when he had nothing to distract himself did he begin to think about her again.

"We're supposed to be at a rock concert, but all I see is… rocks." Miko complained and Jack yawned in response. While his mother's death had affected everyone, Miko was handling it far better than the others. Sometimes Jack got the feeling that she just didn't care, but he was probably just being oversensitive. She was fifteen and his mom's death was the first Miko had ever been affected by; ignoring the whole situation was probably her way of dealing with it.

"Relax Miko; the show doesn't start for another two hours." He said calmly as he leaned back against the rock, making himself comfortable. The stone didn't feel hard to him at all, and it certainly wasn't as hard as any of the Autobots' armor.

"Do you know how long I've waited to see Slash Monkey?" She asked and he was interrupted before he could make a guess. "Forever and it's their only US date!" She shouted before she went back to brooding.

"There's a shock. I mean, who doesn't love obscured Bulgarian shriek metal?" He muttered sarcastically as he noticed Bulkhead come out of the mine with Arcee.

"By all appearances, the mine's been striped." Arcee said as she shot Jack a smile which he returned. Jack had grown a lot closer to her over the past week and it wasn't just Arcee, he'd gotten closer to the others as well.

Jack spent his early mornings with Ratchet and Gremlin. The small Scraplet had taken a strong liking to the medic and Ratchet had given up on trying to distance himself from Gremlin. Jack could usually find Gremlin hovering around or sleeping on top of Ratchet's head. The Medic acted like Gremlin was a nuisance when the others were around, but Jack had witnessed the moments where Ratchet would pet, feed, or play with Gremlin when he'd thought that he was alone.

Jack spent a couple hours with Bulkhead when the Wrecker worked out and then played some video games with Bee. He spent the afternoons and evenings with Arcee either talking or riding. Jack didn't get to spend as much time with Optimus as he would have liked though. He went out on an occasional scouting mission with the Prime, but those rides were far too few in the human's opinion.

It wasn't just the Bots that Jack was getting to know better either. He had gone over to both Miko and Raf's homes for dinner. Miko acted the same and her host-parents were the sort of nice folks that anyone could get along with. Raf's family, on the other hand, had the opposite effect on Jack. Raf's older siblings were loud, mean, and self-absorbed. Raf's parents were the type of people who should have gotten divorced a long time ago, but hadn't because of their children. He was honestly surprised that such a nice kid like Raf came from such a broken home.

He had also spent some time with Agent Fowler, who had told him about his life as a former Army Ranger. He had been honorably discharged after suffering from a blown knee, and by blown, he meant that a bullet had destroyed Fowler's left kneecap which had been replaced with titanium. He'd also learned that Fowler had yet to tell the Autobots that he would be leaving in two days.

Jack was not looking forward to that conversation.

"But I'm getting a signal, it's faint, but it's definitely Energon." Jack shared a look with Miko and turned back to listen to the Bots.

"Doesn't make sense. This operation's been abandoned four, maybe five years, and Decepticons never leave Energon behind." Arcee said and Jack saw Miko run into the mine.

"Uh, Guys." Jack said as he pointed towards his trouble making friend.

"She went in. Unbelievable." Arcee said and he shot her an odd look before speaking.

"Really? Have you… met her?" Bulkhead sighed before he rushed in after her. "It… would be kind of interesting to see, you know if it were–" Jack started to say before his voice trailed off at the end. Maybe going inside wasn't the wisest decision, but it was still a cool thought.

"Safe?" Arcee provided as she finished his sentence. They'd been doing that to each other for a while now, finishing each other's thoughts. He guessed it was because they were becoming better friends. "The striped mine could be structurally unstable Jack." Arcee said as she looked down at him. He rose up his arms in mock surrender.

"I promise to step lightly." He commented and knew he won the argument when she sighed.

"Just don't tell Ratchet." She said and they both walked deeper into the mine. Jack paused for a second as he thought he heard something from outside the cave, but thought nothing of it. The noise he heard was probably just an echo that either Miko or Bulkhead could have made from up ahead.

"_Arcee, found something._" Jack heard Bulkhead say broadcasted through Arcee's comlink.

"Bulkhead? Bulkhead, do you read?" She asked and could only hear static. "Scrap. The mineral composition down here is causing interference." She continued as she looked up at the ceiling.

"I guess that means we find them the old fashion way." Jack said as he took the initiative and moved deeper into the Earth. Arcee shot a proud look at her partners back. Even though he was young and only human, he was strong. They continued to walk in companionable silence for a good half an hour before Jack thought he heard something. It echoed through the tunnel and as they moved closer, Jack was sure that it was a voice.

"You have ceased to be of use to me Starscream." He heard as he looked into the cavern that housed the voice he'd been following. He saw a giant of a Cybertronian standing over a kneeling Starscream, gun humming and ready to be fired. "So you will certainly cease to be." The silver Mech declared and Jack saw that he was even taller than Optimus.

It was with a sudden start that he realized that the Cybertronian in front of him was Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. Jack had only even seen the Decepticon through Bumblebee's optics when he'd been using that cordial psyche patch. Needless to say, the warlord looked even more terrifying when seen up close and personal.

Megatron growled before he shot at them and Jack realized that the shots were moving too fast for him to dodge. He felt metal arms wrap around him as he was lifted out of the line of fire and behind cover. He stared up in shock and worry as he saw Arcee step in front of him.

"Stay down!" She shouted toward her partner and she hoped he heard her over the sound of crumbling rocks. She ducked behind their cover as Megatron assaulted them with a volley of shots. For a second he stopped and she looked to see that he was now firing after a retreating Starscream.

Taking her chance and forming a plan, Arcee moved from behind her cover and shot at Megatron's back. He shrugged off her shots and did as she'd hoped, he fired back. With exact precision, Arcee shot at his arm forcing his shots to be aimed at the ceiling which effectively loosened the rocks above.

As the largest boulder crashed down on Megatron, she realized the error of her plan too late. The ceiling was continuing to fall and she would be buried in the cascading rubble along with Jack. As the floor started to cave-in Arcee cursed and ran back toward her partner. Jack reached out for her, but she lost sight of him as she fell into the darkness below.

~After the Fall~

Jack coughed and grunted as he pushed off some of the rocks that had fallen on top of him and stood in the dark cavern. He looked over himself and found that he was absolutely fine. There wasn't a single bruise or scratch on him. Convincing himself that he just gotten lucky, Jack looked around him, in hopes that Arcee would be nearby.

"Arcee! ARCEE! Oh, scrap." He muttered as moved to look for her. He continued to call out for Arcee and the others as he climbed over the rocks for what felt like an hour before he lucked out. Jack smiled as he spotted a drill-like machine that was obviously of Cybertronian origin. "Well that could come in handy."

He climbed up onto the control panel and stared at it for a second before he read the controls and turned on the machine. He smiled in victory as it started to hum, but his triumph faded as he realized he'd just read Cybertronian writing. '_I just got lucky… again… Yeah right, stop trying to kid yourself Darby._' Jack sighed as he stared at his dirt covered hands. There was something wrong with him, he knew it.

He didn't eat anymore, didn't need to. He slept four hours a day and felt like he gotten a full night's rest. He was tougher now; not even a ceiling of falling rocks could hurt him! He understood Bee and Gremlin; he could even understand alien writing now! His chest started to ache constantly nowadays; sometimes the pain would get so bad he would pass out for a few minutes. Then there were those strange pulses Jack would get when he sometimes touched Arcee. It was like static electricity surged through his body and it all originated from his chest.

Jack shook his head and turned his attention to the matter at hand. He had to find the others before Megatron or Starscream did. Plus, he didn't know if one of the others were hurt. Miko wasn't as durable as he was. Jack pushed the lever forward and looked over the drill.

"Roll out."

~After the Fall~

As Megatron shifted in the Earth he was entombed in, he moved his head as best he could towards the sound coming from his right. He recognized that it was the sound of drilling and as the rocks shifted and the dust cleared, he looked to see who had freed him.

The human was easy to see, as was his look of shock and fear. Had he been in a better situation, Megatron would have laughed at the boy's misfortune. However, he was in no position to laugh at anyone. It was possible that his Autobot partner was nearby and he was in a vulnerable state. Any Autobot, or Starscream, could take advantage of his situation and finish him off. Seeing as the child was still in shock, Megatron spoke, hoping to turn the situation to his advantage.

"I suppose helping those less fortunate would be… completely out of the question?" He asked as he glared at the boy. He saw the human's hand twitch and shoot a look towards the control panel before he looked back at him.

Ideas and thoughts flashed through the boy's eyes and even though he still looked scared, he also looked torn, as though he was deciding whether to help or not. Megatron glared more fiercely at the boy, he reminded him too much of Optimus. Such softness had always been his nemesis' weakness.

"If that is the case, you might as well use your drill to finish me. I guarantee you will never get a better opportunity then right now." He told the boy and saw his indecisiveness. The child looked appalled at the idea of killing him though there was a hesitance in rejecting the idea completely. "Well, what are you waiting for? Think of the glory, seize the day. Optimus would." Megatron said and he slowly moved his free hand. As soon as the drill was within his reach, he would use it to dig himself out of his containment and then kill the human. He almost smiled in victory as he saw the boy straighten himself up, exuding nothing but confidence.

"No he wouldn't, not like this." The child said and Megatron felt his triumph slip away. The boy was right, Optimus would never do it. He saw that the boy was about to turn away and he tried to goad him into action once more. He would get out much faster with the help of that drill.

"Yes, and you know him so well, don't you child? I have known him for centuries, eons. You have only known him for a few short months." He said and he smirked as the child glared at him.

"I may not have known Optimus for as long as you have, but I do _know_ him. I've spent hours talking to him, learning from him. I know that he would never kill you while you're trapped in this pathetic state." The human said, both calmly and fiercely, his eyes glowing a bright green, like optics.

Megatron growled as he stared at the human with more interest than before and he pondered over this new information. It would seem that Optimus had become attached to this human. The child's eyes returned to their normal color and Megatron's curiosity peaked. As he watched the child move to the control panel and start to drive away, he thought about the different ways he could use this boy to his advantage.

"I will be sure to share the details of our little conversation with Optimus, the day I rip out his spark!" He shouted after the disappearing human. He looked at the hole that human had made and with his free hand, began to tear away at the walls.

~After the Fall~

Jack had left Megatron behind him not even an hour ago and yet his mind only seemed to be stuck on what the Decepticon had said. Should he of just finished him off, right then and there? He didn't think he could have, even if he had decided to. If it had been Airachnid in there instead of Megatron, well, maybe… probably…

Would Optimus approve of what he'd done or would he be disappointed? Megatron was the reason for why the Autobots could no longer call Cybertron home. Wouldn't Optimus just want to end it all? Wouldn't he finally want some piece of mind, to no longer have to fight? Jack's thoughts were interrupted as he heard the familiar sound of metal hitting metal, bot hitting bot. He pushed the drill into overdrive as he followed the unnatural path that had been dug into the mountain of rocks.

As Jack looked over a mound of rocks, he spotted Starscream standing in front of Bulkhead and he did the only thing he could think of, he charged right at the Decepticon. As he smashed the Decepticon into the caverns wall, Jack moved over to the side of the drill and offered his hand to Miko.

"Jack get Miko out of here, now!" Bulkhead shouted as he struggled under the weight he was holding up. As Jack reached for Miko, he realized how tired and worn she looked. Her clothes were covered in dust and torn in several places. She had dark smudges covering her skin and Jack couldn't tell if they were bruises or just dirt.

"Come on! Come on!" He shouted to her as she continued to stay in the same spot.

"Run Miko!" Bulkhead shouted and for a second, Jack thought she would run, but back to her guardian. He saw her spill tears as she turned away from Bulkhead and Jack felt his heart go out for her. He didn't think that he would ever be able to abandon Arcee. He hadn't done it when they'd first met Airachnid and he knew he would never do it now. If Arcee wanted him gone, someone would have to drag him away from her and he was fully prepared to do it to Miko.

Miko slowly stretched her hand up to him and he hid his surprise as he grabbed her hand. He honestly hadn't thought that she would give up so easily, not her. She was the one who charged head first into danger, whether for the thrill or to just be with Bulkhead. As he lifted her up with one hand, ignoring the inhuman strength he just displayed, Jack realized that perhaps Miko wasn't as tough as she acted.

"We can't leave Bulkhead!" Jack heard her shout as he moved back to the controls. He looked at her in worry as he saw her almost pass out. How long had she been deprived of fresh air? Why wasn't he in the same state?

His attention suddenly turned to Starscream as he saw the Decepticons free himself and Jack put the machine in reverse. He looked back at Bulkhead with worry as he realized that he was leaving his friend to the mercy of Starscream, but he had to get Miko out of here. Hating himself for leaving the bot behind he straightened out the drill and pressed forward down a new tunnel, hoping to find either Arcee or fresh air.

"Arcee will save him won't she?" Miko pleaded in an obviously distressed tone. Jack didn't have the heart to tell her that he didn't know, or that he didn't even know where Arcee was.

"You and I just have to find a way out of here before Megatron digs himself free." He answered as he turned back to the controls and moved them forward.

"Megatron's here too!" Miko shouted from behind him and he couldn't offer any comfort for her. For all he knew Megatron was already free and had found Arcee.

As the drill moved forward the silhouette of a Cybertronian stood in their path and in the darkness, Jack couldn't tell who it was. As the being moved closer, he felt his chest pulse and he knew that the Cybertronian was Arcee.

"Arcee, Bulkhead is trapped back through that tunnel with Starscream." He said as she got closer and away from the shadows. She nodded her head and brought out her gun.

"Wait here." She ordered and left to go help Bulkhead. Jack looked over at Miko and the two shared a relieved smile. They were going to be okay.

~After the Fall~

Optimus subtly observed Jack from across the room. The young human was talking with Ratchet, who was determined to make sure that the boy was unharmed. Miko had been given some oxygen before she'd left this morning with orders to take it easy.

Arcee and Bulkhead had reported what had happened to them during their mission and both were in stasis at the moment. They had gone too long without Energon or rest and overstrained their systems. Miko herself had arrived and left the base in sleepy state. The only one who seemed unaffected by the latest events of the cave-in was Jack.

The boy did not seem unscathed though. While it was true he had not sustained any physical damage, Jack seemed to be distracted, as if his mind was on something else. Jack had shot him several looks since their return to base and Optimus knew that young human needed to talk to him. Again Jack sent him a look, but this one was a pleading one to be rescued from their Medic. Optimus smiled slightly as he approached them, he couldn't count how many times he'd had to rescue one of his men from Ratchet's clutches.

"Please Ratchet, I'm fine! I got lucky and didn't get hurt." Jack said again as the Medic shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't understand how you could survive such a situation undamaged. By all accounts, you should at least have some bruises. Let me draw some blood, just to make sure." Ratchet said and Jack shook his head in exasperation.

"Fine, but later, please?" Jack asked as he shot another look up at Optimus and saw the Autobot approaching them.

"Ratchet, you may examine Jack at a later date, right now I wish to speak with him." Optimus said and Jack looked both relieved and nervous.

"Fine, but after that he gets some rest." Ratchet said and the two nodded their heads in unison, almost making the older bot smile. It was a little odd seeing the young boy and his old friend together, to see how much alike the two were. It was almost as if Optimus treated Jack as his… Ratchet shook his head to get rid of that thought, such a situation was not unbelievable, but the Medic had never been one to contemplate the relationships of others.

Optimus offered his servo to Jack and he easily got on. They said nothing as Optimus moved through the base to his quarters. He took Jack over to the table from before and sat down once Jack had jumped off his hand. He waited for a moment, not sure what to do or say. Jack obviously wanted to discuss something with him, but the boy seemed to have suddenly lost his nerve.

"I am glad that you are undamaged Jack. I am also proud with how you handled yourself during the cave-in. Ratchet tells me that Miko would have suffocated had you not saved her when you did and Bulkhead tells me that she had almost been at Starscream's mercy. You're resourcefulness and quick thinking saved Miko today." Optimus said and Jack smiled up at him sheepishly. The boy rubbed his hands against the back of his head, a nervous habit Optimus had come to notice, before he spoke.

"Miko and Bulkhead weren't the first ones I found. I… I saw Megatron, talked to him." Jack mumbled and Optimus felt his Spark pulse with fear. He'd never wanted the children to meet Megatron and to know that Jack had been talking to him, alone, was most disconcerting. "He… was just stuck there, unable to move and he said…" Jack trailed off and his nervous habit kicked into overdrive. "He said that I should have killed him while I had the chance… that you would have…" Jack trailed off as he looked everywhere, but at Optimus.

He didn't want to find out that he'd made the wrong choice. That he'd blown the chance to finally end one of the most evil beings in the universe. That Optimus was disappointed in him.

Optimus released a sigh as he gently laid his servo against Jack's back. Such a situation for him to have been in must have been awful. He mentally cursed Megatron, for no youngling should have to experience such a scenario.

"Megatron is a master of manipulations when it comes to words. On Cybertron, he could twist ones beliefs and ideals with a few sentences and turn a race on itself with nothing, but speech. The fact that you were able to hold your ground in the face of his silver tongue is quite an accomplishment Jack." Optimus said and noticed that Jack was finally looking at him. The boy's bright blue eyes looked up at him, searching for reassurance and Optimus felt a small smile work its way onto his face.

"You were correct. I would never end his nor anyone else's life if they had been in that position. There is a difference between killing in battle and killing in convenience. You made the right choice Jackson." Optimus said as he stared down into Jack's sleepy eyes. "Rest young one." Optimus said quietly and Jack fell asleep in his servos once more.

~After the Fall~

I didn't want to spend a whole lot of time with the funeral, but it gave me the chance to lay down some important plot points for later. Arnold was indeed MECH's spy and I used the name Project CHIMERA from the show. Jack really is dying; he just doesn't know it, yet. Also, Clancy Brown isn't really related to Jack, so no worries… right? I always felt like Ratchet really needed a friend in the show. I mean, all the other bots have got humans to interact with, except for Optimus, but he's like a brick wall anyways. Ratchet had no one, Gremlin becoming like his cat or something just felt right.

I also switched up Jack's encounter with Megatron a little bit, but not by much. That scene probably has to be one of my favorites and I loved writing it from Megatron's point of view. I have always wanted to see how Optimus would have reacted to finding out about Jack's encounter with Megatron, so I was glad that I got to write the scene.

~Hexalys~


	6. Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to review!

Okay, so basically ~After the Fall~ will follow the same storyline as the Prime episodes, but with the twist of what happens to Jack thrown in. I'll add my own adventures and problems throughout this story, like the next few chapters, but I won't be diverging too much from the Prime continuity.

As I stated before, this story is a Jack x Arcee pairing and I will put some focus on their developing relationship, but I will be mainly focusing on the father/son relationship Optimus and Jack are starting to build. This also means that Optimus will not continue to appear so stoic to you. While he will still present that of himself to others, you will be reading the things that he thinks about and really see how he feels in certain situations. I don't mean to make Optimus too OOC, but then again, you never know what the leader of the Autobots could be thinking.

Anyways, enough with the talking, go fourth and enjoy this new chapter!

~After the Fall~

Chapter 6: Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Jack sighed as he placed his suitcase in the trunk of Agent Fowler's car. He was finally leaving the Autobot base and he really couldn't believe it. Almost two weeks ago he'd started living in the base and already it felt more like a home to him than his real one had. He had grown so much closer to everyone and the thought that he wasn't going to be around anymore was depressing and heart wrenching.

Fowler had finally manned up and told the Autobots last night that he was leaving. It wasn't a conversation that Jack was going to forget anytime soon…

"_What do you mean Jack's leaving?!" Ratchet practically shouted from where he'd been shamelessly listening in on Optimus's quiet conversation with their liaison. The Medic's loud outburst caught the attention of the others in the room, and unfortunately, everyone was present._

_Jack pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily in irritation. Of course Fowler thought it was a bright idea to tell the Autobots he was leaving the night __**before**__ and that it was an even better idea to not tell Optimus in private. Jack looked over at the rest of the occupants in the room and cringed inwardly when he found that everyone was staring at him with various displays of disbelief._

_Taking a deep breath, he walked over to where Fowler was standing and sent a glare at the sheepish looking man. Fowler shrugged his shoulders and gestured for him to explain, and even though he really didn't want to, Jack did._

_He described to the Autobots the regular procedure every minor went through once they lost their parents. First he would have been taken in by another family member or social services. Since Jack didn't have any close relatives, he should have gone into the government's custody, but Fowler had been able to pull some strings to allow Jack to stay with the Autobots temporarily. He explained that the system meant he would either go to a family member, or be put up for adoption. _

_The Autobots, though silent throughout his explanations, clearly showed that they were completely against the idea of Jack leaving. They absolutely loathed the idea of him being adopted by someone he'd never met before, not that Jack was thrilled with his situation either. After he'd finished his explanations, all hell seem to break loose in the base. _

_Ratchet and Arcee had turned to yell at Fowler, both seemingly blaming the man for Jack's situation. Bulkhead was trying to calm down Miko, who seemed more than ready to start hitting things than to start yelling. Bumblebee was trying to comfort a now crying Raf, who seemed to be the only person to understand that the decisions had already been made and that no amount of yelling was going to fix things. _

_Optimus was the only one who was not reacting, he was calm and as still as a statue. The Autobot leader made no movement to stop the chaos that was occurring around him, but instead continued to stare down at Jack, his face as stoic as always. Jack had secretly hoped that Optimus would have gone into a yelling rage like Arcee as well, that the Autobot would have fought for him to stay._

_Seeing Optimus do nothing was… painful, but something Jack should have expected. Optimus followed the rules of Earth and if one said that Jack had to leave, then the Autobot leader wouldn't question it. Jack knew this, but a big part of him had hoped that Optimus would have reacted negatively to the news of his leaving. Anything was better than this hardness._

_Unawares to Jack, Optimus was inwardly floored by the horrible news he'd just been given. Jack, though only human, had become a part of their lives, a part of his life. Jack was important to him. He'd spent the last two weeks getting to know the young man who none of his men could stop talking about. _

_While it's true that the children were welcome at the base, they each spent most of their time with their own guardians. It was only now, when Jack was always at the base, did the boy spend time with all of the Autobots. Jack had become even closer to everyone, and none of them wanted to see him leave._

_Optimus looked down at his oldest charge and felt as if his Spark was breaking. Jack looked so defeated, sad, and nothing like his usual self. He wanted the boy to stay with them more than anything, but like Jack had already explained, he could not simply disappear without anyone noticing. So they would let Jack go, since it was what the boy wanted…_

"_Autobots." Optimus said out loud, his deep baritone voice somehow able to drown out the racket everyone else was making. Everyone in the base froze and became quiet at Optimus's command for order and waited anxiously to hear what their leader was going to say. "We will respect the laws of the humans, just as we have always done." Even with his command given, the Autobots clearly did not agree with their leader._

_Arcee outright glared at Optimus for even daring to suggest that she was going to abandon Jack. Ratchet, surprisingly, seemed just as ready to argue as Arcee. Bulkhead shifted uneasily, not really knowing what to do and Bumblebee continued to have a quiet conversation with Raf, who had finally stopped crying._

"_What?! That's it? After all the things Jack has been through with us, with you, you're just going to say see you later?" Miko shouted incredulously, her voice echoing throughout the large base. Though it didn't seem possible, Optimus's stiff frame went even stiffer and Jack couldn't help but flinch slightly at Miko's harsh words. _

_Honestly, Jack was feeling pretty abandoned by Optimus at the moment. He'd thought he had meant more to the last Prime, but he should of known better. Whatever relationship Jack had with Optimus seemed to have been exaggerated on his side, nothing more than wishful thinking. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, he was just being stupid. Optimus was a friend, nothing more and that should be good enough. _

_It wasn't though._

"_Miko its fine, I know that's not the reason." Jack said, his voice coming out weaker than he'd wanted it to. He took a steadying breath before he continued to speak. "I have to go; besides my relative is already expecting me to show up tomorrow. It's not like I'll never see you guys again and I'll stay in touch." Jack finished in a stronger tone. He was sure that he would be reunited with the Autobots again, whether he came to visit or just had to wait until he was eighteen, he would be back._

"_Hey, you're right! We could just use the Ground Bridge to come and see you whenever we want." Miko said in an excited voice and Jack slowly shook his head, making her smile drop._

"_The Ground Bridge uses a lot of Energon and I don't want you guys wasting it just to come and see me for a couple of hours. I'm sure we can figure something else out. If worse comes to worse, I can still call you guys and keep in touch that way." Jack said his voice filled with an optimism that he wasn't even close to feeling at the moment._

_Arcee looked down at her partner, unable to describe just how lost she suddenly felt. Jack had integrated himself into her daily life and she couldn't imagine him suddenly not being there. Who would she go for a drive with and spend her hours talking to? Who was going to be there to calm her down or give her strength?_

_Jack had said once that even though they were weak on their own, they could be strong together. Able to push past the deaths of their loved ones and continue fighting, but could she do that now that Jack was going to leave? _

_Her partner looked up at her as he tried to calm everyone else down, promising them that he would keep in touch and that this parting wasn't permanent. He had a somber look on his young face, but he tried to smile up at her. His smile never reached his wet eyes, they glistened up at her sadly with unshed tears and she knew that this wasn't what her Jack wanted._

_Her Jack? She wondered where this sudden possessiveness came from, but brushed the thought aside. The sentiment was absolutely correct; he was her partner, her Jack. She would support him in this decision for now, but the moment he said he wanted to return, she would get him back, no matter what Prime said._

_Jack finally tore his eyes away from Arcee, knowing that she understood his true feelings behind the matter. He didn't want to go, more than anything he wanted to stay, but then again he'd never been one to do what he wanted. Just as his mother had raised him, Jack was responsible and that meant doing things you had to do, even if you didn't want to._

_Jack returned his attention to the others and smiled sadly at everyone in the room, he was really going to miss them. They all stared back at him with various looks. Bumblebee and Bulkhead just looked lost, unable to do anything other than obey their leader's command. Miko and Raf looked upset, close to tears even. Arcee had calmed down, her anger extinguished by an unwanted acceptance in his decision and Fowler seemed to be just the same._

_Ratchet still looked furious as Gremlin floated fitfully around the medic's head, understanding that something was wrong, but not really sure what it was. Jack couldn't help, but send a small smile towards the Medic. It wasn't that long ago when Ratchet would have just accepted Jack's moving without a single complaint, but then again Jack hadn't really been very close with Ratchet then._

_Since coming to the base, Jack spent his mornings with the team's Medic. At first Ratchet had just told him to be quiet and to not touch anything, but eventually those stipulations were forgotten and Jack somehow became something of a student to the Medical Officer. Jack listened and asked questions whenever Ratchet started to explain anything Cybertronian. _

_He was fairly certain that he could recite more Cybertronian medical knowhow than Arcee could at this point, not that he actually understood everything that Ratchet had explained to him. Jack was certain that out of all the humans, only Raf would have been able to keep up with Ratchet, but he took Ratchet's tutoring seriously, so even though he didn't understand most of it, Jack committed all of the lessons to memory. _

_He would miss those lessons dearly, not only because he would no longer be able to learn more about his closet friends, but because Jack had never seen Ratchet as happy as when he was teaching something to him. Maybe he could convince Raf to learn from Ratchet instead._

"_I have to go home…" Raf said, his sullen voice breaking Jack out of his thoughts. _

_It suddenly crashed down upon Jack that this may be the last time he saw both Raf and Miko for a while. He let out a shaky sigh and forced himself to be strong, if not for himself then for Raf and Miko. He walked up to his only two human friends to say their goodbyes; they were probably the only people in Jasper who were going to miss him._

_Friends had always been something that Jack had never really had. At one point sure, but that was from before his dad had died. After his father's death, Jack was more concerned about his mother than about making friends. _

_Eventually he had grown apart from the other children in town and by the time he was ready for friends again, Jack couldn't find the offer of friendship that he was looking for. He had been far too mature for the children his age. While they were busying themselves with games and cartoons, Jack took care of himself and the house for his mom. Then finally, thanks to the Autobots, he had friends, even if all of them weren't human. _

_He was going to miss them._

_Once Miko and Raf left, Fowler had quickly followed. The goodbyes between them were brief, but comfortable. Having spent enough time with the old Army Ranger had taught Jack that Fowler was a man of few words, loud and obnoxious words, but still few just the same. Before Fowler left, he gave Jack an emergency contact number that went straight to him, just in case any Cons showed themselves. He read the number over several times, making sure to memorize it; one never knew if Airachnid would come looking for revenge again._

_Finally Jack was left with the three bots he had grown closest to ever since his mother's passing. Arcee was in the back, leaning against the wall as she waited for their one on one talk, not that he expected anything beyond promises to keep in touch and to stay safe. He knew her far too well to know that tonight's talk wouldn't go any deeper than that. It took Arcee a little longer than others to come to terms with her emotions and even longer to work up the nerve to share those emotions with someone else. But that was fine; Jack's patience was endless when it came to Arcee. _

_She was his best friend after all._

_He purposefully ignored Optimus at the moment. Whenever it came to the Autobot leader, Jack felt like there was nothing that he could hide from the last Prime and in the end, Jack usually broke down and told Optimus everything that was bothering him. There were some things that Jack just couldn't talk to Arcee about simply because he wanted to appear strong to her. _

_Optimus was different though, he knew he could talk to him about anything. Not that he couldn't with Arcee, but the kind of comfort and consult she offered differed from the kind that Optimus gave him. There would be time later tonight to talk to Optimus. Instead Jack turned back to the still angry Medic, knowing of only one thing that would placate the elder Cybertronian and Jack hoped that he wouldn't regret it later._

"_You know Ratchet; I never gave you those tests that you wanted from the other day's cave-in incident." Jack said, inwardly cringing at the numerous tests that he was about to partake in. He saw Arcee grimace in the corner of the room, but most of his attention was focused on Ratchet's surprised and extremely pleased face._

_Before Jack could even think about taking back his offer of becoming Ratchet's first human patient, he found himself being placed on the Cybertronian sized gurney by the eager Autobot. The Medic turned back to the other two Autobots and quickly pushed them out of the room for some privacy._

Jack gingerly ran his hands over the sore needle pricked areas that covered his body. Even though becoming a human pin cushion was uncomfortable, Jack had spent only some of his time answering the curious questions Ratchet had about the human body.

Those questions had quickly ended and Jack started to have a real conversation with Ratchet, one that didn't revolve around either Cybertronian or human anatomy. They had talked about the past, about the good and funny moments that they had never thought about sharing before. It had been refreshing to talk about something different, and Jack surprisingly found himself laughing at some of the stories Ratchet had told him.

After his examination was over, Jack said a more emotional goodbye to Ratchet, knowing that the proud Medic wouldn't appreciate such a display when surrounded by the others, and went to find Arcee. They had gone driving that night, but the ride itself was quiet and seldom. When Jack had tried to say goodbye, Arcee had stopped him before he could even finish his sentence.

"_Jack, this isn't goodbye, so don't act like it is. We will see each other again partner, even if I have to drive four hours to see you." _

And that was that, but Jack was grateful for Arcee's abrupt words. They had settled the worrying thoughts and feelings he'd started to have ever since he knew he was leaving the base. Arcee was not going to replace him; she was not going to abandon him. They were partners, friends, and no amount of distance, no matter how great, could change that.

When they had returned to base, Jack said his goodbyes to both Bulkhead and Bumblebee. While Jack was not especially close with either bots, he was definitely closer to them then he'd been two weeks ago. He promised Bee a rematch in video games, as Jack always won, much to the yellow bots frustration, and told Bulkhead to think about the next Wrecker story he wanted to share.

Finally there was the conversation Jack was supposed to have with Optimus, but it never took place. Instead he'd stood in front of the Autobots' bedroom door for an hour before going to bed, unable to work up the nerve to actually go inside.

The very thought of finding out that Optimus didn't care for him as much as he'd thought was simply crushing. Eventually Jack's thoughts came back to Megatron's words from the infamous cave-in adventure. Did he really know Optimus all that well, or did Megatron really understand Optimus better than he did?

Finally, Jack came to a decision, if Optimus really cared about him, then the Autobot leader would come find him. Optimus would initiate this conversation, giving Jack the proof he needed. Proof that Optimus had come to see him as something more than an obligation, but Optimus had never shown up.

Jack had stayed up all night, waiting, but he never heard the loud metallic steps echo throughout the halls of the Autobot base. When morning had arrived, Jack was just grateful that Fowler had promised to show up early. So there he was, standing next to the passenger's door to Fowler's car, still waiting for Optimus to show up.

Only Arcee and Ratchet were there, Bulkhead and Bumblebee had already left the base to take Miko and Raf to school. Jack shot a questioning look up towards Ratchet, who just slowly shook his head, already knowing what Jack was silently asking him. The Medic had no idea as to why Optimus wasn't there either. Jack sighed and muttered a goodbye to the two Autobots before he climbed into the car.

As Fowler drove out of the base, no one noticed the blue and red Autobot hidden in the hallway, silently watching their oldest charge leave.

Optimus Prime stood just as stoic as always as he watched Jack being taken away, but inside his mind and Spark was anything but. He could not face Jackson because he knew if he did, he would not have allowed the boy to leave.

Once Optimus had truly realized how important Jack was to him, he'd forced himself to stay in his sleeping quarters. It was dangerous for him to form attachments like the one he had with Jack. If Megatron ever knew, he would not hesitate to hurt the young human in any way that he could. So for Jack's safety, Optimus knew he would have to stop the bond that had unknowing developed between them.

But Primus did it hurt to have to ignore Jack, especially when he saw the boy's devastated face when he'd realized that he wasn't coming. Optimus could not ignore the pain in his Spark as he watched Jackson leave. He cared for the boy greatly, more than he did for anyone else.

It was with a sudden start that last of the Primes realized that he cared for Jack like a Sire would for his Sparkling. He'd come to think of Jack as his own offspring. Maybe he'd made a mistake? Maybe he should have gone to see Jack last night, fought for the boy to stay with them? But then the Prime reminded himself of Megatron and of the dangers his feelings for Jack would cause.

For the first time in a long time, Optimus Prime was confused and unsure about whether or not he'd made the right choice. Was separating himself from Jack the correct approach, or did he just make the greatest mistake of his life?

~After the Fall~

The ride to his new home was both much too long and much too short in Jack's opinion. All he could do while stuck in the car for four hours was think, but the only thing he could think about was his sudden nonexistent relationship with Optimus.

Had he done something that had upset Optimus, and that was the reason for why the Autobot leader had not talked to him? Perhaps Optimus had felt the same way that he had, unable to work up the nerve to say anything, but then again, this was Optimus Prime. Jack seriously doubted that the Autobot was afraid of anything. No, it was more than likely that Optimus hadn't come to Jack simply because, even though the Prime did care, it was not in the way that Jack had hoped.

Before Jack knew it, he was greeted to an old styled country house; the white paint was chipped in several areas and had stains from the many window panes. At first he thought that the house was abandoned, but that thought was quickly dismissed when he spotted a middle aged man sitting in an old rocking chair on the porch.

The man looked like your average country bumpkin, wearing overalls, boots, and a worn plaid shirt. The man introduced himself as Clancy Brown and after a few awkward moments, Fowler said goodbye one last time before he drove away. Clancy Brown and Jack watched Fowler leave until his dust trail disappeared in the distance.

Jack uncomfortably shifted his feet for a few minutes, but Clancy Brown made no move to invite him inside. Suddenly, he heard the roar of several engines come to life from the old large barn a few feet behind the old house. Three familiar looking dark green muscle cars pulled out of the barn and charged towards Jack. Without even thinking about it, he moved up to Clancy Brown to push the man inside the safety of his house.

MECH had somehow found him once again.

Before Jack could even shout out a warning to the older man, he found himself caught in Clancy Brown's tight grip. He struggled ferociously as he tried to throw the man off of him; already realizing that Clancy Brown, or whoever this man was, was defiantly not a friend. As the three cars pulled up to the porch, Jack used the dust and dirt as a cover as he literally threw Clancy Brown off of him and made a break for the fields surrounding the house.

As Jack ran through the tall crops he could hear the men shouting at each other before the muscle cars once again roared back to life. Jack didn't need to look behind him to know that the cars were already on his trail.

Then it happened.

Pain, the excruciating, but familiar sensation raced through his body as he collapsed to his knees, stopping his escape. '_Not now!_' Jack thought hysterically as the pain once again pulsed through him from his very core. It was as if someone were sending volts of electricity through his muscles and organs, his skin literally felt like it was melting off of his bones.

Through his pain Jack could hear the cars surround him and he knew there was nothing he could now. He had experienced these sensations way too many times to know that he would pass out soon, but that didn't mean that he was going to make things easier for his captors.

As he heard car doors open and footsteps approach him, Jack opened his right eye slightly, barely able to make out the image of a man's foot not even a few inches away from him. Without even thinking about it, Jack lashed out at the man as he rammed his right fist into the man's foot. The sensation of something caving in and the audible crack that rang throughout the field let Jack know that he'd probably just broken the man's foot.

The man's screams of pain and shouts of disbelief were the last things Jack heard before he passed out.

~After the Fall~

Silas smiled down at the unconscious body that his men brought before him.

Jackson Darby looked very much the same the last time Silas had seen him, but there was a sheen of sweat covering the boy's face and he looked much paler than what was normal. It was nothing his scientists hadn't already warned him about though. They didn't have much time, before the Spark inside the boy's chest would kill him, maybe three days at the most.

"Prep him for surgery immediately." Silas demanded his scientists, who quickly went to work. He would have liked to have talked to Jack before the boy's operation, but no matter, he would just have to wait once the boy awoke. Though that wouldn't be for a while…

The transplant and fusion of Jack's Spark with the Vehicon's should only take up to two days at the most. It was the modifications that Silas had planned for the Vehicon's body that would take some time to complete. They had already torn down the Vehicon to its exoskeleton and made several modifications, but there was still so much work that needed to be done.

One of the men who had captured Jack turned to Silas and presented him with Darby's cell phone. Taking the small cellular device into his hands, Silas scrolled down the names until he came to the one inputted as Partner. He handed the phone to one of his other scientist and watched as the man walked off to complete the assignment given to him for when they'd finally retrieved Jack.

Silas was one to learn from his mistakes, and now he knew better than to underestimate the Autobots again. He had little doubt that Jack had been ordered to stay in touch and surly the Autobots would come looking for the boy if he failed to check in. A simple text message from his cell would not be enough for long, so he'd had his men come up with a machine to disguise his voice to sound like young Jack's.

He did not want this experiment to be interrupted.

"Sir, the subject seems to be awakening, would you like me to put him back under?" One of the scientists asked and Silas held up his hand, making the other man pause. He walked up to the boy and smirked as Jack slowly tried to fight off the unconsciousness that had claimed earlier.

Jack let out a slight moan as he slowly came to and tried to remember what happened before he suddenly found himself lying on his back. He heard voices from above him, but none that he recognized. Where was he? Where were the Autobots? Who were these people?

He groaned once again making the voices above him stop. There was movement from Jack's left and as the boy opened his eyes, he realized that the person standing next to him was neither Fowler, Miko, or Raf. As his vision cleared, Jack felt his stomach clench in dread as he recognized who exactly was standing above him.

Silas smiled down at him, giving him a smug look that clearly said he knew something that Jack didn't. The sudden fear Jack felt flushed adrenaline through his body and he started to thrash at the bindings that kept him lying down.

"I would advise you not to attempt to use your unnatural strength to help you escape at the moment Mr. Darby. You might set off another reaction and I'm sure you don't want that. My scientists tell me that it's quite painful." Silas said as he smirked down at the stunned teenager.

"How–" Jack began, but Silas cut him off before he could finish his question.

"You know you're a very lucky boy Jack. You'll be the first test subject to undergo Project CHIMERA." The fact that Silas mentioned the words test subject was unnerving enough for Jack, but the man's shit-eating grin just about pushed Jack over the edge.

"I don't want anything to do with whatever it is that MECH has planned! When the Autobots–" Jack began, but was once again cut off by Silas's laughter.

"The Autobots are not coming boy and even if they did somehow arrive here to save you, your reunion wouldn't last very long. You see, Jackson Darby, you are dying." Silas said in a bored tone, though his smile never left his face.

Whatever Jack had expected Silas to say, it certainly hadn't been that. Was it a threat? Had MECH already injected something into him that was slowly killing him? No, that wasn't it and Jack suspected that Silas's seemingly ominous statement was in fact quite true.

Jack knew there was something very wrong with him, the latest pain attack proved it. The attacks had happened before, but they had never been as excruciating as the last one. The few hours of sleep and little food hadn't bothered Jack all that much, only the mild pain attacks that had suddenly escalated. But why was this happening to him? He searched his memories for an answer and a memory of acid burning into his hand came forth.

"_Airachnid._" Jack whispered dreadfully to himself, but loud enough for Silas hear.

The older man shot Jack a questioning look as he saw realization dawn on Jack's face. The acidic spit that had burned its way into his skin was what had caused the changes, but Jack had never thought that it was killing him! He mentally kicked himself for not allowing Ratchet to run some scans earlier than last night, if he had, then maybe he wouldn't be in such a dire situation.

"Hmm, a conversation for when you awaken later Jack, right now you have a very important procedure to go through and I'd hate to keep you waiting." Silas said as he smiled down at the still shocked teen.

It wasn't until Jack felt a prick in his arm that he came back to his senses for him to try and fight back, but an unrelenting drowsiness was already descending upon him. His last thought before he passed out was the hope that Ratchet would spot something wrong in his test results, leading the Autobots to come looking for him.

~After the Fall~

Well, there's chapter six and boy, wasn't it just full of angst! I'm not a big angst person really, but it's sometimes needed. In case I didn't make it clear, Jack is all but convinced that whatever relationship he thought he'd had with Optimus never really existed.

Optimus is at that point that all superheroes reach when they think about their loved ones. That whole 'I have to keep my distance so that you aren't targeted' crap that every hero goes through. Optimus just didn't explain that to Jack, which is why Jack had drawn the conclusions that he did. Hopefully none of you are too pissed at me for making Optimus act this way, but this drama is needed later in the story. I did have him realize how much he cares for Jack though, so that's a bonus.

I decided to give Ratchet a bigger role, but it won't be anywhere near as big as Optimus and Arcee.

~Hexalys~


	7. An Out of Body Experience

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to review!

**Panther-Strife** asked if I was going to make Jack into something similar to Tekkaman Blade. I had no idea what they were talking about so I looked it up online and while I might use Tekkaman in another story, I will not be using it for this one.

I already have Jack's new form ready to be posted on my account through a link, but you're going to have to wait until the next chapter to see it. His alt mode has also been decided as well as his name and I hope all of you will like it. I'll either reveal this info with the next chapter or in the one after it.

Now, my fine readers, you may now extend your knowledge concerning this story. A.k.a. enjoy the new chapter!

~After the Fall~

Chapter 7: An Out of Body Experience

Nothingness, it seemed to be the only thing that greeted Jack when he suddenly became conscious, though he was absolutely sure that he wasn't awake. It felt more like when you realized that you were dreaming, but couldn't seem to take control of it. All Jack could do was stare into the darkness that surrounded as he waited for something, _anything_, to happen.

He wasn't really sure if he even had a body at the moment, he tried to move something, but it was like his physical form was just gone. That he was only a spirit of vapor with memories and a sense of what he'd used to be. It was all very confusing.

As he waited, Jack was somewhat aware that he wasn't alone, like there was someone just beyond the darkness, experiencing the same thing that he was. He hoped it wasn't anyone he knew; he found his current state of almost nonexistence to be one of the most unpleasant experiences of his life. He felt vulnerable, something he'd been feeling a lot recently, only this time he felt it physically, not emotionally.

Jack found it hard to think about things other than the darkness surrounding him. Every time he tried to remember how he got there, the thought would escape him, making him unable to focus on the memory. In fact, he found it hard to focus on any of his memories; he couldn't really recall the people in his life, only that they were important. Jack had of course realized that not being able to remember such things was obviously a very bad sign, but he didn't even have enough focus to stay panicked or worried. No matter what he did, his thoughts always drifted back to the nothingness that surrounded him.

Needless to say, it was very boring.

Just as Jack was beginning to retry to remember how he got into this state, his world, his being and sense, it all shifted violently. Pain was the first thing he felt as the blackness that had surrounded him was eaten away by a bright light. Soon the new light was replaced with blurry images of towering buildings that looked nothing like something that belonged on Earth.

Metal, jagged structures rose above him, looking sinister as the long shadows covered him in a darkness that was not nearly as welcoming as the void he'd recently been stuck in. A world he'd only seen once before was born before him, and though it looked evil in nature, it did not look nearly as frightening as it had when he had seen it through Bumblebee's optics.

Jack was standing in the center of Kaon, though it was not surrounded in fire and grime like in Megatron's subconscious. Instead the buildings shone brightly, as did everything else that surrounded Jack. The city, though intimidating, was also somewhat pleasant to look at. In fact it was slightly stunning.

Looking over himself, Jack was quite happy to see that he had a body to move again. He was dressed in the clothes that he always wore, and surprisingly, his body felt great. It was healed of the aches and pains that had started to plague him ever since the night he'd come into contact with Airachnid's acid.

He suddenly realized that he was able to recall things and the joy of being able to focus his thoughts was lost to sudden dread when he remembered how he got into such a state in the first place. MECH had him, or at least Jack thought they did. He remembered the last words Silas had said to him before he was knocked out, but then how was he here in Kaon? Was he dreaming and if not, then how could he even breathe here?

Kaon was on Cybertron and Jack could distinctly remembered Ratchet telling him that there was no oxygen on their planet. Wasn't Cybertron supposed to be in disarray anyways, uninhabitable to such a decree that both the Autobots and Decepticons could no longer stay there? If so, then why did the city look so pristine? What the hell was going on?

As Jack wandered into the city, hoping to find some answers to his many questions, he found things that did not belong within the Decepticon capitol, things that could only be found in his own life and memories.

He'd spotted the playground that he'd used to go to when he was little, though he knew it had been torn down years ago. He found the small ice cream shop that his dad used to take him to, his school, and even some trees that definitely stuck out from the metal scenery that was Kaon.

Looking ahead, Jack's breath suddenly caught in his throat as he saw the old Harley Davidson motorcycle his father used to ride. It looked somewhat used, like he remembered, and he could smell the faint traces of oil coming off of it, like someone had just been tinkering with the old bike not too long ago.

Slowly, Jack moved towards the bike, remembering the day his mom had sold it to make ends meet, though he hadn't understood that at the time. It was the last link they'd had to Joshua Darby and it had broken his mothers' heart to see it go.

Jack ran his hands over the metal framework and leather seat, taking in a sight that existed only in his memories. As his eyes raked over the old Harley, he saw the keys dangling in the ignition, waiting to be used. It took only a second for Jack to make up his mind. He slid onto the low bike, instantly noticing the differences between the Harley and Arcee. Clutching the key to the point of painful, Jack jerked it forward and the motorcycle engine roared to life.

A slight, wistful smile spread across his face as he lifted his feet off the ground and sped forward down the streets of Kaon.

~After the Fall~

Arcee did all she could to stop herself from continuing her pacing. She'd found it very hard to stay still since Jack left yesterday. He'd already sent a text message to Miko, saying that he was fine and trying to adjust with his new guardian.

Guardian, for some reason that word bothered Arcee. She knew Jack wasn't saying that she was being replaced by this human, that by law this man was his new guardian, but she didn't like Jack using that word. She was his guardian, the Autobots were his family and whoever this man was, Arcee knew he was neither to Jack. Still, she knew better than to take Jack's words to Spark, or heart as the humans would say.

Ever since Jack had left, the base just felt wrong. He'd become a part of it in the short two weeks he'd been there and there didn't seem to be anyone who was unaffected by his missing presence. Ratchet was grumpier than usual and she was only too glad that they had Gremlin to keep the medic happy, though the Scraplet seemed just as upset with Jack being gone.

Ratchet had yet to look at the results of Jack's test, putting it off for as long as possible. She had seen the Medic do this once before, when he'd held onto the last results from a scan he'd done on Cliffjumper. It was his way of hanging onto the person who was gone, though Jack wasn't gone like Cliff, it didn't make his leaving any easier to bear. He would run the tests when he was ready to except the reality of the situation they were forced into, which probably wouldn't be for another week.

Bumblebee didn't seem nearly as cheerful as he'd been before, though he was usually okay when Raf was around. She envied him, that he still had his partner, as well as Bulk. Bulkhead was still himself whenever Miko was around, but when she wasn't, the former Wrecker could be seen sulking most of the time. And as for herself, well Arcee wouldn't admit it to anyone but Jack, she felt absolutely miserable.

She sometimes found herself staring out into nothing for long periods of time, thinking only about how Jack might be doing and then there were moments, horrible ones, where her Spark would start hurting for no reason at all. She had no idea why she was suddenly getting these Spark aches, but she refused to tell Ratchet, there was no way she was going to _willingly_ become his patient.

Her temper was rather short now, though she thankfully hadn't snapped at anyone yet. She left the base long before she could unleash her anger out on anyone else. She had parked herself in front of Jack's old home earlier that morning, somewhat hoping that he would come out of the house and complain about how early it was.

She missed Jack, plain and simple.

Arcee was brought out of her musings as Optimus slowly walked into the command center; their leader was taking Jack's removal just as bad as her, perhaps even worse.

Optimus had barely said any words since Jack had left, even when Ratchet had spent a good hour chewing him out for not seeing Jack off. Optimus looked the same as usual, but there was a definite slump to his once proud and rigid posture. His optics seemed to be dimmer than normal and his usual look of seriousness was replaced with a dejected and solemn one.

It was startling and Spark wrenching for the others to see their leader like this.

Optimus seemed to completely avoid looking at the others, as he focused on finding a new Energon site, but nothing could distract him from his guilt. Stasis had not come easy to the Autobot leader; his processor simply could not stop thinking about Jackson. The memory of the boy's disappointed face seemed to haunt him constantly, and the faith he had in his original decision wavered with each passing second.

It took all his self-control to not transform and go to Jackson's current location to steal the boy back. Once he'd realized he would not fall into stasis last night, he'd tried to occupy his time by doing something useful. In the end, he found himself staring at the table Jack had slept on twice while using his servo as a blanket.

He missed the young human very much, more than he'd ever thought possible.

"Hey, Jack sent me another message!" Miko called out from her spot on the couch while looking at her phone. Everyone in the base stopped what they were doing and turned to Miko, all wanting to hear what Jack had wrote. "He says he's fine, that nothing changed since yesterday afternoon. He's getting along fairly well with his relative and that he misses us. Oh, he also says that he wants to call the base tomorrow to talk to everyone!" Miko exclaimed as she looked up and grinned at the Autobots. "He wants to know if it's okay to call around six p.m. tomorrow."

"Tell Jackson that would be an acceptable time and that we eager to hear from him." Optimus said from his station, sounding livelier than he had since Jack told them he was leaving two days ago. The other Autobots looked at each other, smiling and Arcee let herself give back a small smile as well.

It would be good to hear Jack's voice again.

~After the Fall~

He was so tired of looking at the glorious buildings Kaon had once been, tired of being trapped in his own subconscious. He hated those humans who had done this to him and by Unicron's will, he would have his revenge once he was awoken.

ST-113V3 hated the existence he was being forced to experience as he waited to be freed, not that he expected the Decepticons to come and rescue him. Lord Megatron had not sent out a team to save Breakdown, so there was no way his Lord would be bothered to save a lowly Vehicon like himself.

ST-113V3 held hope that Commander Starscream might come, but again that scenario didn't seem very likely. While his Commander had valued him more than other Vehicons, Starscream would never appoint such a mission without Lord Megatron's consent. The Commander was on very thin ice when it came to Lord Megatron's patience.

The Vehicon doubted that anyone would care that he was missing, not even those soft Sparked Autobots would mount a rescue, not for a drone. He supposed he would just have to wait and hope that his Spark survived whatever experiments the primitive fleshlings were going to perform on him.

Suddenly a loud noise, like a roaring engine, reached ST-113V3's audio sensors and the Vehicon almost leapt for joy. _Someone was here_, and by the sounds of it, it was a ground bot like himself. ST-113V3 transformed and raced towards his new companion, not caring which faction this bot was on. Once he finally caught up with his visitor he let out a roar of anger and disappointment. This was not a Cybertronian, but a human like the flesh bags who'd captured him. He transformed quickly and fired at the human who hadn't noticed his arrival yet.

The blast fell short of its target, but the aftershock of his shot hitting the ground was enough for the human to lose control of his two-wheeler, sending him crashing into the ground. ST-113V3 was about to laugh at the fleshy, but instead grunted in pain as he collapsed onto the street as well.

As he slowly pushed himself off the ground ST-113V3 saw the human doing the same while rubbing his damaged chest in the same place that was hurting ST-113V3. The Vehicon felt his Spark pulse with dread at the sick realization he'd just come to, but it was _impossible!_

Wasn't it? Without stalling, ST-113V3 charged towards the human, determined to see if his realization had any merit to it.

Jack felt the vibrations of the Vehicon approaching him long before he actually saw the Decepticon. The sudden crash had thrown him into a very dizzy state and he wasn't really sure what was happening at the moment. One minute he'd been happily riding along a Kaon road, the next he was eating Cybertronian dirt, so to speak.

Suddenly, he felt something tighten around him and he opened his eyes to find himself trapped in the grip of the Vehicon who had just shot at him. He looked up at the Decepticon feeling terrified, but defiant, desperately wishing that Optimus and Arcee was there to help him.

The Vehicon glared down at him as he brought up its other servo, one of its clawed digits just a few inches from Jack's face. Jack stared at the claw fearfully as it slowly, almost hesitantly, reached his cheek. He closed his eyes the moment he felt the claw dig into the side of his face and he couldn't hold back his pained grunts as he felt his skin being torn open. He heard the Vehicon hiss and its hand quickly retreated from Jack's now bleeding face.

Looking up to glare at the Decepticon, Jack felt his mouth drop in surprise as he spotted a cut on the Decepticons' face as well, Energon slowly leaking from the wound. He wanted to ask how the Decepticon got that cut on his face, but was interrupted by the loud moan that the Vehicon made.

It set Jack gently onto the ground and before he could ask just what the hell was going on, the Vehicon transformed and drove away. Jack stood still, confused by the Vehicon's odd behavior. He felt uneasy, as if something important was just revealed and that once he understood what it was, he would react the same way as the Vehicon.

Taking only a moment to gather his nerve, Jack went over to his Dad's motorcycle, relieved to find it undamaged and chased after the Decepticon.

~After the Fall~

Silas stood on the balcony that gave him a perfect view of the operation down below. Jackson Darby was officially dead, or at least his body was. His Spark, as small as it was, had looked just like the Vehicon's, though instead of blue his was green. The fusion between the Sparks had begun almost immediately, just as the Decepticon said it would. Both Sparks were kept in a tank preserved in the very liquid that had been in the Vehicon's body, Energon.

He remembered what the Decepticon had said, about how important Energon was and how it could be found in its crystalized form throughout the Earth, but the robot hadn't told him how to find the Energon crystals or how to change it into its liquid form. He would just have to wait until the operation was over to get the answers he wanted.

The Sparks had at first, stubbornly remained separate, each refusing to fuse. Fortunately, with a little _motivation_, the Sparks fused together in order to survive. It was amazing what a little shock therapy could do these days. He had tortured the Sparks only for a few seconds, but it had been enough damage for the fragile things to end up in critical condition.

In order to survive, the two Sparks instinctively fused together, using each other's strength to endure, just as the Vehicon had explained to him. Spark fusions where the closest thing the Transformers had to a heart transplant. There was no way to replace a Spark; it was the being while the body was just a shell. In a way, the Spark was sort of like the human brain and heart rolled into one.

So in the end, the two undamaged Sparks of the Vehicon and Jackson Darby only needed a few volts to make the fusion their only hope of survival. The Sparks were now fused together, though they had yet to mix properly. Half of the Spark was green while the other half was blue, once the Sparks fully combined, it would be ready to be moved into its new body.

Silas turned away from the human corpse and wondered if he should send it back to the Autobots once his experiment was done. He'd have to have a camera in the area to record their reactions.

At the moment, his scientists were focusing on monitoring the new Spark and completing the upgraded body of the Vehicon. After they'd stripped it down to its basic frame, they had made many modifications. This new Transformer resembled nothing of the old Vehicon except in height as well as the black faceguard that covered its lower face, leaving only a thin red visor over its optics.

For now, Silas was trying to decide as to what disguise mode it should take. Any aircraft was obviously out of the question and he wanted something that would blend somewhat into everyday society. Suddenly he got an unusual, but brilliant idea, though he didn't quite know if it was possible.

He headed towards the open hanger bay where the Vehicon's body was being worked on, determined to see if his idea could possibly work. He paused as Jack's cell phone, which he kept on him at all times, alerted him to a new text message. Silas smiled as he read the text; he too was eagerly waiting for tomorrows' chat with the Autobots.

~After the Fall~

Jack cruised in and out along the streets of Kaon, seemingly knowing exactly where he was going, which he kind of did and it freaked him out. He didn't understand why, but he knew exactly where the Vehicon was.

Sure enough, Jack spotted the Vehicon sitting at the base of a statue portraying a bunch of Vehicons, each posed in a different fighting stance. Jack pulled up a good bit away from the Decepticon as he wasn't really sure what kind of reaction he was going to get.

The Vehicon was staring at him, probably glaring, though Jack couldn't tell because he couldn't see the Vehicon's face. He griped the handle bars of the bike tightly, ready to run if the Decepticon decided to attack him again.

"So you're a techno-organic." The Vehicon stated, his voice not harsh, but weary. Jack looked at him in surprise and confusion; he hadn't really expected the Vehicon to start the conversation after all.

"I'm a what? What did you call me and how come you aren't trying to hurt me anymore?" Jack asked nervously, the entire situation was too surreal. He was probably the first human to ever have an actual conversation with a Vehicon.

"A techno-organic is a being that is part organic and part Cybertronian. You have to be a techno-organic otherwise you couldn't possibly be here. As for hurting you, well that's no longer an option, not unless I wanted to hurt myself too." The Vehicon said before he sighed and slumped down to the ground even more.

"Wait; hold up, you've lost me. Why don't we start at the beginning, like where are we exactly? I recognize this place as Kaon, but how come there's stuff from my world here as well?" Jack asked and the Vehicon sat up a little straighter, looking more interested than before.

"You know of Kaon, Fleshy, how?" The Vehicon asked and Jack glared up at the Decepticon before he spoke.

"I have a name you know, it's Jack. I've seen Kaon before, but only as an impression from inside of Megatron's subconscious. One of the Autobots used some sort of psychic cord to get into Megatron's mind; I was able to see it through that Autobots' optics." Jack said and the Vehicon paused, seemingly thinking about what Jack had said. "What's your name?" He asked bringing the Decepticon out of his musings.

"My designation is ST-113V3, Fleshy. You are one of the pets that the Autobots keep, correct?" ST-113V3 said in a somewhat condescending tone. Jack clenched his teeth, before he regained his cool, he could play the name game too.

"I'm their friend, well more like family. I used to live with them before MECH got their hands on me." Jack said while grimacing at nothing, he turned to look at the Decepticon and found his visor glowing a brighter red than usual. "ST3-1311V31, huh? That name is far too long, you need to shorten it." Jack said as he grinned up at the obviously indignant Vehicon.

"It's ST-113V3, Fleshy, get it right, though I suppose the name is too long for such a primitive creature like you to be able to remember. How about you just call me Superior, hmm? That should be easy enough for you to recall." The Vehicon responded and Jack was sure he was grinning.

"Hmm, no Superior just doesn't really suit you… I know! I'll just call you Steve." Jack proclaimed as he smiled up at the furious looking Decepticon, trying his hardest not to laugh. What better way to insult someone who hated humans then to give them a human name?

"Fleshy, I'm warning you." The Vehicon growled threateningly and Jack returned the tone.

"If you call me Jack, I'll call you ST-113V3. Call me Fleshy and I'll call you Steve." Jack said simply and the Vehicon continued to glare at him for another moment before he scoffed and returned to his slumped position.

"You've got bearings human, I'll give you that. Very well, Jack. We are in our subconscious, much like what you witnessed with Lord Megatron. We are here because our Sparks have begun to fuse–"

"Whoa, wait a minute, I don't have a Spark!" Jack cried out before he looked down at his hands. "Right? I mean, yeah strange things have been happening to me recently, but–"

"You could not be here if you did not have one. The strange things you were going through was most likely your body changing because of the Life Blood you had been exposed to. You should be grateful to the humans who captured you; I have little doubt that this forced fusion saved your life." ST-113V3 said harshly, his visor glowing a dark red. "I know of no recorded information of a techno-organic ever living very long. Their organic bodies are unable to handle Energon and without Energon the Spark dies. Right now, those humans who have captured us have fused our Sparks into one."

"What does this fusion thing mean for us? What'll happen to us?" Jack asked as he stared up at the Vehicon in shock, fear, and panic. So he really was on the verge of death, or at least he used to be. Should he be grateful towards MECH for saving his life?

"A Cybertronians' entire being is their Spark, it's their heart, mind and soul all rolled into one. If a Spark becomes too damaged, a fusion is sometimes made in order to save the wounded bot, the two Sparks become one over time. Their personalities and memories meshing together, both are the same beings, but also a new being entirely." The Decepticon paused and stared off into the distance for a few moments before he spoke again. "That fate awaits us as well; no doubt you can already see how our Sparks are combining just by looking at the scenery around us. Your subconscious is already fusing with mine." The Vehicon said as he pointed at the ice cream shop Jack had seen earlier.

Jack soon joined Steve on the ground, slumped up against his Dad's old bike. So after all of this was through, he'd still be him, but he'd also be Steve, meaning he was no longer himself? Damn it all, this was so confusing!

There was however, Jack realized weakly, nothing that he could do about it. It was already happening and even if he did find some way to stop this fusion, the chances were that he would die. There was no choice for him, he had to fuse or perish, but this fusion terrified Jack. He wasn't really sure how he was going to change, but he was determined to try to stay as himself, no matter what happened.

He would not lose himself to this fusion, he couldn't.

ST-113V3 knew what was to come in the future. While he and the human would fuse, one personality would become more dominate than the other and ST-113V3 had a feeling that he was not the dominate being in this fusion.

A fusion was something like a battle of wills, though he and the human would not really fight. The one with the weaker will would slowly lose his grip and somewhat fade a little when the fusion was complete. ST-113V3 was a droid, his disposition, his will, was weaker than most because that was how he'd been designed. The human however, well, ST-113V3 believed that what the creature lacked in size and strength he made up for in will power and with a strong spirit.

"So what do we do now, Steve?" Jack asked, his eyes on the grass that was starting grow underneath his body.

"We wait, Fleshy." The Vehicon responded in a somber tone.

~After the Fall~

I'm so happy I finally got to use Steve in my story! I always loved that fan-made Vehicon, but this Steve has a few differences to the normal one people write about. He is not in love with Starscream in this story, but he is loyal to the Air Commander and looks up to Starscream slightly.

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure where Steve came from. I like to think that his origin came from the YouTube video, 'Shut Up Steve', a Cheerios commercial played to some scenes from Transformers Prime. I've seen this character used fairly often whenever a Vehicon has a larger role so I just had to use him in my story.

As for the fusion of Sparks, I hope it wasn't too confusing. I tried to explain it as best I could, but I'm worried that it's still a little hard to follow.

~Hexalys~


	8. Observations

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to review!

I've posted Jack's new body in a link on my profile page so check it out after you've read the chapter. I'll post his vehicle mode with the next chapter or with the one after, but I want it to be a mystery for right now. The image is how he looks, but you have to use your imagination to place his gold trimming throughout the armor.

Now read… or else… no, seriously… shit'll happen to you…

~After the Fall~

Chapter 8: Observations

Ratchet stood close enough to the terminal to answer it for when Jack called, but kept his distance so that he didn't look eager to the others in the base. There was no reason to let them know how much he was looking forward to talking with their absent charge. Though he suspected his constant fidgeting and unusually anxious demeanor at least gave him away to Optimus.

Jack's sudden departure had left a rather somber feeling in his place. Ratchet could honestly admit to himself that he recently felt dulled; now that Jack wasn't there for him to teach whatever he could to the boy. It had been a long time since someone listened to him with such attentiveness, not since his days back on Cybertron.

Ratchet understood that most of the things he'd told Jack had gone over the young man's head, but the boy was still determined to learn what little he could, simply because the lessons had fascinated him to no end. He hid a smile as he remembered the first time he'd caught wonder shining in Jack's blue eyes.

At first he'd paid little attention to the boy as he'd continued his work like usual, but that soon ended when Jack started to ask questions. He'd originally answered the questions with an air of annoyance, but that hadn't stopped Jack from asking. At one point he'd turned to yell at the boy to leave him alone, but stopped when he saw Jack looking at his latest project with awe.

It made Ratchet pause, and quite frankly, had taken him aback. He'd expected such a reaction from Rafael, but not from Jack. Jack had never seemed like the type to appreciate science. He could understand Jack being interested about Cybertronian medicine because of his mother, but knowledge like how to construct a basic scanner just didn't seem like the thing that would interest the teen.

Still, seeing such a look on Jack's face had made Ratchet explain what he was doing with more patience than normal. Eventually he came to look forward to what he would teach the young human. He started to ask Jack questions about what he learned and was pleased to hear Jack recite what he'd learned word for word, even if Jack couldn't fully explain everything.

When the lessons about Cybertronian biology began, Jack started to make more of a contribution to the conversation instead of just questioning things. The young human sometimes made comparisons between the bodies of a human and a Cybertronian. And Ratchet soon started to find himself as the one asking questions, but about the human anatomy, which Jack proved to have a vast understanding of.

Sharing their knowledge left Ratchet feeling youthful; it reminded him of his times when he'd started inventing and learning to be a Medic. It made him think of his earlier years, where he'd traded ideas, opinions, and facts with his students, teachers, and peers. So before he turned in for the night, Ratchet planned out what he would teach the next day and what he wanted to ask Jack about.

Waking up on the morning after Jack had left had been disconcerting and he hadn't actually been sure how to begin his day. He'd stumbled through his work at his station, occasionally looking at the spot Jack had usually stood at during their lessons, hating to find the space now empty.

Ratchet would never admit it out loud, but he was glad to at least have Gremlin with him during those early hours in the morning that had usually been his time with Jack. The little creature didn't understand why Jack wasn't there anymore, but the boy's absence affected the Scraplet just as it did the others. Ratchet would occasionally find Gremlin curled up on the couch Jack had slept on; whimpering sad little notes that made the Medic's Spark ache.

For the next two days Ratchet was confronted with the abnormal silence that now came with his mornings. The quietness used to be a comfort for Ratchet, his few hours of peace from the others. Now the silence just left him feeling… lonely.

It wasn't like he would seek out those conversations with someone else, it wasn't in his nature. That was something else Jack had understood about him, he did enjoy company, but of a certain kind. Not even the other Autobots, except of course Optimus, had understood him the way Jack had after only two weeks. That boy was something else.

If there was one human that Ratchet knew would be eager to learn from him, it would be Rafael. The boy would have a better grasp of understanding the information than Jack had, but besides that, Raf was still a child and he seemed far more interested in playing games with Bumblebee than to listen to an old bot yammer on about how to fix a Cybertronian targeting system.

Besides, he could never take away those moments Bumblebee spent with the young human. The scout simply adored Rafael, treating the boy like the little brother he'd never had. Rafael was also the first friend Bumblebee had that was younger than him. Of course Bumblebee was thousands of years old, making him technically older than any of their human friends, but his age in Cybertronian terms was equivalent to that of Jack and Miko, perhaps even a little younger.

Ratchet was brought out of his thoughts as a call coming from the computer rang throughout the base. He all but rushed over to the terminal, accidentally stepping on one of his tools that must have fallen onto the floor at some point. He lifted his foot and grimaced at the grease and metal chunks left behind, leaving his tool unsalvageable.

"Ugh, I needed that!" He groaned out loud and ignored Miko's snickers at his expense. Disregarding the mess, he continued onward and answered the call a little sterner than he'd wanted. "What!" Ratchet barked out and inwardly cringed at his own tone. He didn't mean to snap, especially at Jack, but he usually got grumpy when he was embarrassed.

"_Hey Ratchet, good to hear from you too._" Jack's voice answered, filling the room and making everyone smile.

"Jack!" The boy's name was called by almost everyone throughout the room in warm or excited tones. Miko and Raf were the first ones to greet Jack, going on about how much they missed him. Miko exclaimed how upset she was that nothing of interest had happened as of yet, that there hadn't been any sight of the Decepticons or MECH.

"Seriously dude, nothing exciting at all has happened since you know, the cave-in. We haven't had any run-ins with those MECH guys either." Miko finished with a pout and they all heard Jack chuckle in response, which Ratchet found odd.

This was the point where Jack usually sighed tiredly before explaining to Miko that getting into dangerous situations wasn't exactly a good thing. The laugh itself sounded different, unusual. Ratchet looked towards Arcee and found a look of confusion on her face as well before she seemingly shrugged it off and moved to address here charge.

"Hey partner, how you holding up at your relatives?" Arcee asked, a protective tone leaking into her words. Again Jack chuckled and Ratchet shifted uneasily. He had a gut feeling that something wasn't exactly right, but what?

"_Eh, we get along okay I guess. We don't spend a lot of time with each other really. To be honest, I've spent most of my time sleeping._" He chuckled again, as if he'd just made a joke that Ratchet didn't understand. Still, it was worrying to think that Jack spent so much of his time in stasis.

"Have you been feeling all right?" Ratchet asked his medic senses kicking in. "Have you been experiencing bouts of exhaustion for no reason? How much sleep have you been getting?"

"_I'm fine Ratchet; I just think that everything that's happened in the past two weeks has finally caught up with me._" Jack replied in a tired tone. Optimus finally stepped forward and Ratchet had almost forgotten that his old friend was even in the room.

Ratchet took a moment to study the Autobot leader. There was an obvious slump in the Autobots' shoulders, as if he was carrying more of a burden than he usually did. The bright blue glow of his optics had diminished to the point that they barely held any light in them. To be frank, Ratchet hadn't seen Optimus looking this worn since his friend had been contracted with the Cybonic Plague that had nearly claimed his life little over a month ago.

There was no smile on Optimus's face and even though the Prime had stepped forward from his place against the wall, the Autobot made no attempt to join the group now conversing with Jack. It seemed as if Optimus was just satisfied to hear Jack's voice. Why didn't their leader at least address the boy with a simple hello? He knew Optimus care for the boy, so why the sudden distance? '_Optimus is avoiding Jack._' He realized in disbelief.

Ratchet didn't know the reasons for why it happened nor could he understand why Optimus would chose to stay silent. He had talked to Optimus as soon as Jack had left the base two days ago, but the Prime had offered no reason for why he hadn't been there to see the boy off. After an hour of yelling, Ratchet had finally relented and told Optimus to apologize to Jack when he spoke to him again.

Looking at Optimus now, Ratchet knew there would be no apology. For whatever reason, Optimus had decided to break off any and all contact with Jack, even though he obviously didn't want to. There was a pained expression on Optimus's face and his mouth had opened several times already, as if he wanted to speak, but couldn't find the right words.

Watching his leader struggle for several more minutes, Ratchet was only slightly surprised to see the Prime turn around and quietly walk out of the room without the others taking notice.

Ratchet almost went after his old friend to curse him out before dragging him back to talk with Jack, but he knew Optimus. There had to be a good reason for why he was doing this to Jack, an unknown reason that he would respect, for now. Maybe Optimus just needed time to compose himself before speaking to Jack, but after ten more minutes passed, Ratchet knew that his old friend wasn't coming back.

"_So, where's Optimus?_" Jack asked and Ratchet inwardly cringed. '_Curse you Optimus Prime for making me tell him that you're not here!_'

"He's out, scouting for Energon." Ratchet stated back gruffly and he could feel Arcee's optics burning into the back of his head.

The others took this information in stride, not seeing any real harm with their leader being gone. He usually left the base when gatherings like this happened. Only Arcee knew that Jack and Optimus had some sort of a relationship, though Ratchet doubted she knew just how deep their bond was. Ratchet wasn't even sure how deep their bond went. He had thought their relationship was that of a sire and his offspring, but Optimus certainly wasn't acting like a sire at the moment.

"_Oh, alright._" Jack's reply was flippant, uncaring and Ratchet narrowed his optics in worry. Something happened between the two of them, he was sure of it.

The conversation carried on for a few more minutes before they said their goodbyes, with Jack promising to call them again at the same time in two days. Everyone chatted away with each other before they returned to what they'd been doing before Jack called, all happy to hear how he was doing and how they couldn't wait to talk to him again.

Ratchet returned to his station while secretly tracking Optimus's location. He found the Autobot leader parked in front of a location he'd had to bridge Arcee to a couple of times before, Jack's old residence. The old Medic sighed before he returned back to his work; he would give Optimus a little more time to work this out for himself.

~After the Fall~

Silas smirked as he hung up the cell phone, his voice simulator had worked perfectly and the Autobots didn't suspect a thing. He would've liked to have wheedled some information out of them, but he didn't want to risk his cover and expose himself. He did not need for the Autobots to come after their abducted charge.

He passed the phone off to one of his many men, trusting they knew what to do with it until he needed it again in two days' time. In all honesty, he didn't need to contact them again so soon, but he enjoyed it, knowing that he was getting the better of them while they remained clueless. Besides, Silas firmly believed in the old proverb of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.

He walked into the chamber holding the body of subject 01-JD. The figure no longer looked like the Vehicon frame it had once possessed, but an entirely new one that looked like nothing he'd ever seen before. Truly his scientists had outdone themselves this time.

The height and slim build the Vehicon had stayed with the body, though it lost those overly bulky shoulders. The main color for the armor was black; making the model look sleek, with a deep gold trimming placed throughout the armor. The gold was purposefully colored to be slightly dulled and dirty looking, diminishing the shine so it didn't attract too much attention; the opposite to the bright yellow-gold that Airachnid had.

The metal under the armor, the metal-skin, was covered by a non-tearing synthetic flame resistant rubber-like material, hiding the body's weaker points from view. The alt from had already been downloaded, which pleased Silas greatly. The vehicle form itself was nothing like he'd seen before and would be extremely useful in the future.

Two wheels rested at the base of the body's heels, tucking into the armor perfectly. The head itself was more like a helmet, like the Vehicon before it. It had a red visor, taken from the Vehicon and its helm was framed by long ear-like structures that changed into handle bars when the body was in its vehicle form.

The new Transformer was fierce looking and Silas couldn't wait to see it in action. Though the body had finally been reconstructed, the weapons still needed to be installed and then came the final diagnostic tests before the frame was to be given its new Spark.

Silas walked into another room, this one far smaller than the hanger like room he'd just been in. He walked up to the liquid filled tank holding a glowing turquoise orb, a Spark to be more precise. The blue fluid was as alien as the thing it was keeping alive, but Silas paid little attention to the liquid Energon.

It was both odd and fascinating to know that the Spark, which was some feet smaller than his height, held two sentient beings inside it, one a Transformer and the other a human. Silas wondered if Jack would be able to hear him if he talked to the boy, seeing as his state was similar to one being in a coma. Silas might have done it too, if he'd been alone but the room was filled with his scientists and while they certainly wouldn't say anything about him talking to the Spark, Silas would not diminish his image just to gloat at someone who may or may not hear him.

'_I can't wait to see the look on Optimus Prime's face when he finds out what has happened to you Jack._' Silas thought smugly to himself. He'd heard through the grapevine that the Prime was known to be a calm and collected warrior, never letting anything anger or distract him in battle.

Would Prime still keep his cool when he found himself fighting against one of the very people he protected and considered an ally? No, and Silas would get to see that indomitable spirit that the Prime possessed shatter into a dozen pieces.

The great Optimus Prime would fall and at the hands of a mere human. Then he'd used Jack to wipe out the rest of the Transformers who'd taken up residence on his planet. He would prove MECH to be the supreme force in the universe.

~After the Fall~

_**ST-113V3 dodged the strike to his left, but doubled over as the unseen kick from his opponent literally knocked some of his circuits lose. Training was either do or die on board the Nemesis and Lord Megatron had no room in his army for weaklings. **_

_**He'd been a part of his masters' army from the moment he came online. As such, he was one of the few remaining Vehicons alive from before they had been forced to take refuge in space, searching for any world that held Energon. He was as high ranking as a Drone could get, he might even be promoted if any more Decepticons like Breakdown were scraped, ST-113V3 wasn't holding his breath though. There had been no sign of the Autobots for years, but Lord Megatron insisted it was only a matter of time before the Autobots found this plant and them.**_

_**ST-113V3 welcomed the idea of fighting the Autobots again, perhaps even fighting Optimus Prime himself, not that he was a worthy enough warrior to fight a Prime. He was a Personality Drone, a grunt, a soldier. His duty was to clear the way for his Lord and to follow orders, not be a part of a glorious battle that would be talked about for years to come. Even if he was in such a battle, he would never survive it if he couldn't even beat one of his fellow Vehicons.**_

_**ST-113V3 ducked underneath the next kick his opponent, R1-055 a flying Vehicon, had sent and launched everything he had into the uppercut that threw R1-055 into the air a few feet. R1-055 crashed into the floor a good distance away from ST-113V3 and didn't get back up.**_

_**The pair of Vehicons who had stood off to the side moved over to R1-055 and took him to the medical bay. Being Captain of the Vehicons, ST-113V3 was often challenged for his position and rank. While his opponents could only claim his tittle by killing him, ST-113V3 usually spared the challengers. **_

_**Basic Drones were already rudimentary enough, he didn't want to get rid of the ones that had actually been installed with a personality chip, plus their rematches helped him keep in shape and hone his skills as a warrior. **_

_**ST-113V3 started at the sound of clapping and turned to find Commander Starscream walk out from the shadows. ST-113V3 would give one thing to the Commander; the bot certainly knew how to keep hidden.**_

"_**Well done Captain, that was quite the show, though he seemed to give you little more trouble than the others. Was that the sixth or seventh challenge this week?" Commander Starscream asked and ST-113V3 almost sneered at the backhanded compliment his superior gave him.**_

"_**It was actually the eighth challenge Commander; 1D-3V0N challenged me earlier today." ST-113V3 said as respectfully as he could. ST-113V3 considered himself a loyal soldier and he knew the Commander was anything but loyal.**_

"_**Indeed? I find it amazing that you even allow the challenges to begin with Captain, why risk losing a position you've spent eons trying to get?" Starscream asked, seeming genuinely curious.**_

"_**It's true I've worked for this position, surviving where most of my comrades have fallen, but if I am not the best then I'm more of a hindrance to the cause if I started commanding my betters. The position of power and command should go the better soldier, for the good of the Decepticons." ST-113V3 responded. He heard Commander Starscream grunt in thought before the Seeker asked another question.**_

"_**So the better Con should get the position of power? You know, I believe the Earthlings have a similar philosophy called 'survival of the fittest'. And if someone stronger, better, came along to claim leadership, you'd follow them loyally?" Commander Starscream asked, his optics focused solely on his clawed servos, though ST-113V3 was sure they'd been burning into his back not even a nano-second ago.**_

"_**Of course, it's my code and part of my programming." ST-113V3 proclaimed proudly. **_

_**Before the war had escalated, Vehicons had been more than just Basic Drones. They had been programmed with different personality chips, given more powerful processors. Those Vehicons were called Personality Drones. Sadly those programs were lost with Cybertron, making him one of the few who actually had a personality and a capacity to grow. **_

_**His own programming had been a mix, giving him his own honor code and the enjoyment for battles that was only programmed into the gladiators from before the war. He'd been created with the latest personality chips; it made him different from the other Vehicons and superior in ways they could never hope to be.**_

"_**That's good to know Captain… Lord Megatron will be leaving for his mission to find more soldiers in space; he's requested your presence at the Bridge to witness his departure." ST-113V3 nodded his head in understanding and he moved to leave the room, but stopped outside of the doorway when Commander Starscream spoke again. **_

"_**Oh, and Captain? I'll hold you to this code of yours when the time comes." Starscream said casually before the doors closed and blocked ST-113V3 from his Commanders piercing stare. It wasn't until he reached the end of the hall and arrived at the Bridge that ST-113V3 realized what the Second-in-Command had truly been talking about.**_

Jack groaned as the memory that wasn't his passed and he sighed in relief at his short reprieve. He knew it wouldn't be too long until another memory flashed through his mind, but he would enjoy the break while he could.

He still laid up against his father's bike, the grass that had just started growing before was now long and in need of a good trimming. Steve was still in front of him, seemingly staring out at nothing. The city that surrounded them was just as much Cybertronian as it was human. The buildings from the two different worlds blended perfectly together and it no longer seemed like an odd sight to either human or Cybertronian.

Not that Jack had a lot of time to take in the scenery. The "sharing of memories" had begun a while ago, or at least Jack thought it had been a while ago. Steve had told him that time inside their mind moved at a different speed than the real world. Sharing memories was part of the fusion process and since he only had sixteen years' worth of memories, Steve had stopped having visions a while ago. Jack knew his visions would be coming to an end soon too, since in the memory the Decepticons had already reached Earth.

Having memories about Steve changed him, he knew it. How could he not after practically living thousands of years through the Decepticons' memories. He'd seen war; famine and disease claim the lives of both the Autobots and the Decepticons. He'd witness the destruction of Cybertron, public executions, torture and absolute carnage.

Jack was still fiercely loyal to the Autobots, but that didn't stop him from seeing something of an understanding between himself and Steve. He respected the Decepticon who did not represent the epitome of evil that the Autobots believed all Cons possessed. Steve had a warriors' nature, but he was honorable and loyal to those who gave him life. Jack could respect Steve in a way he never thought possible and he couldn't hold a grudge against the Con simply because of who he'd allied himself with.

Though Steve hadn't voiced it Jack could feel the Vehicons' respect for him grow too. They had reached a camaraderie, an understanding of each other in a way that no one would ever be able to. Jack now knew Steve as well as he knew himself and vice versa. In a way, it felt like Jack had just discovered a part of himself that he'd forgotten, not like something new had been added to him.

Jack wasn't sure how much he changed though. He felt that he was tougher now, mentally at least. The idea of fighting certainly appealed to him much more than it had in the past. He'd basically been a pacifist before, but that was mainly due to how his mother raised him. Things that scared him before didn't, but he also felt a little rougher and distant from others. Solitude, something that bothered him a lot before was now a comfort, but besides those few changes, Jack felt mostly the same.

Who knew if he felt the same way once he woke up though?

Jack was worried however, before, Steve had told him that when their souls fused, only one of them would stay and the other would disappear. At first he'd been determined to be one who won the battle of wills, but now, if he won, Steve would be gone and Jack didn't want that to happen. He'd seen too much of the Decepticon to simply let him disappear.

Jack looked over at the Vehicon, whose outline seemed to be slightly hazy, blurred; it was like he really was starting to fade out of this existence. Coming to a decision, Jack smirked, even as he felt another memory coming on.

There was no way he was going to lose Steve to this fusion.

~After the Fall~

Being the perceptive bot that he is, Ratchet knows something's wrong between Jack and Optimus and he knows that this problem only exists because of Optimus, though he doesn't know what the problem is.

As for the relationship between Steve and Starscream it should be obvious that Steve wasn't always the Seekers biggest fan. Steve pretty much had Starscream figured out, but some stuff happens that changes the Vehicons opinion of the SIC slightly which earns him some of Steve's loyalty. Steve himself isn't your normal Vehicon while it's true he's still a drone he's cut from a different cloth than the others. Smarter, stronger and some personality pushed him to become Captain of the Vehicons, both ground and aerial mode. His disappearance wasn't a big fuss because, well he's a Vehicon. I like to think of Steve as that somewhat badass soldier that has somehow made it through battles no one else (mainly the Vehicons) has.

Okay for the Vehicon names ST-113V3 is obviously Steve, in my system the ones are ignored and the threes turn into E's. R1-055 is actually Ross, the zero becoming an O and the fives are S's. 1D-3V0N is Devon, same rules as before.

~Hexalys~


	9. Deceit Unveiled

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to review!

Sorry I haven't updates this sooner, I just got distracted. This chapter is four thousand seven hundred words long, which actually is a little longer than my first chapter so please, nobody complain about how "short" this is, that'll just get on my nerves. I know writers who only post one thousand worded chapters so be grateful that I do as much as I do. This chapter only looks short because it's not as spaced out as my other chapters.

Okay now that the apology is out of the way, you may now read the long awaited chapter 9!

~After the Fall~

Chapter 9: Deceit Unveiled

Project 01-JD was finally ready. The body had been completed, its alt form was already uploaded and now the only step left was to insert the Spark. It had taken a week to complete since they'd managed to capture Jack Darby and it had been five days since Silas had last talk to the Autobots.

The waiting had been almost unbearable, and the scientists were getting anxious, excited, to see their creation come to life. 01-JD was all but bolted down to the floor, kept restrained with the same shackles that had kept Breakdown from escaping. Silas would not allow for this one get away. There was still the matter of making 01-JD an obedient soldier, but Silas was assured by his men that they'd found a way to erase certain memories from 01-JD's processor.

There was the possibility that some training and Cybertronian Intel might also be lost, but it was a price that had to be paid if Silas were to get his weapon. He knew that the Vehicon would hold a grudge against MECH and Jack would be more inclined to join the Autobots than anything else. A blank slate was their best option at this point.

The Spark, which had once been half green and half blue, was now a bright turquoise. It moved in its tank occasionally, as if it could sense what was to come and perhaps it could. Silas had made sure to have his scientists explain what they were going to do right in front of the Spark's tank. If he couldn't taunt Jack out loud, he could, at the very least, frighten the boy with what was to come.

As Silas looked at his watch, he mused that he could possibly get away with contacting the Autobots early than what they'd agreed on. The first confrontation posing as Jack had gone as well as could be expected as no questions were asked for verification. Silas was simply greeted with welcoming arms, his enemies lapping up everything "Jack" said. The Autobots did not suspect a thing.

The second call had been postponed to today as the Autobots had some sort of emergency mission at the last second. He'd texted back that he understood and had rescheduled for today, three days later than when his call was originally supposed to take place. Silas did not feel completely secure in communicating with the Transformers while work was still being done on Project 01-JD, which was the reason for why he'd waited three days.

Now though, with the preparations done, and Silas felt confident, victorious. His enemies didn't have any notions as to what MECH had accomplished.

He turned to one of his men, motioning for him to initiate the call, before leaving the communications room as Silas ordered. He preferred to keep his calls to the Autobot base, personal. This was a private victory for himself, not MECH. Silas only had to wait until the second ring before the call was answered and he smiled darkly at the action, the Autobots must have been very eager to from their friend.

"_Jack, you there partner?_" The robot Arcee asked, her voice sounding slightly impatient as her words came out slightly rushed.

"You were expecting maybe MECH?" Silas asked his own tone coming out far more amused than was advisable at the moment. The grin would not fade away from his face though; the irony of the situation was just too much to not appreciate.

~After the Fall~

Optimus could honestly say that the last couple of days had not been easy on him or his bots. First they'd had to reschedule their talk with Jack, since they'd received an old Decepticon signal. Jack had texted back that he understood and would try again in three days' time. The investigating mission soon became a battle filled with bitter truths and shifting alliances.

Optimus had thought it wise to order Arcee to stay away from Airachnid, as he knew revenge blinded the femme whenever she confronted the Decepticon in battle. That hatred had only increased with recent events, not that Optimus could blame Arcee for her feelings towards Airachnid.

What he had not predicted was his own reaction to the threat Airachnid had made against Jack, stressing about all the horrible things she would do to the boy once he was in her servos. Anger, a blinding, all-consuming rage, had taken hold of Optimus's Spark. He'd charged at Airachnid, his barrel gun ready to blast a hole through her chassis, only to be frozen by the Immobilizer.

He'd been too enraged to recognize the weapon and had attacked without thinking of the ramifications his hasty actions could cause. Optimus knew of the Immobilizer, as he'd faced the Decepticon weapon before in the past. It was a mistake that he hadn't made since before he'd become a Prime, a mistake that seared guilt and disappointment into Optimus even three days later.

How could he expect his men to restrain themselves when he himself was unable to keep control?

Fortunately Bumblebee had been able to keep his head and had outwitted Airachnid, sending the Decepticon retreating. Still, there had been a few minutes were Optimus had been forced to listen to Airachnid's taunts; her acidic words still burning into his processor, poisoning it with anger.

"_Lord Megatron will certainly be pleased Optimus. He'll probably use the big one and the bug for target practice, but you, well perhaps I can convince him to let me keep you as a trophy. I can make a spot for you right next to my Jack's head. Hmm, would you like that Optimus?"_

If Optimus had not been frozen in that moment, he would have torn Airachnid's still pulsing Spark out of her chest and crush it before her dying optics. Watching the Decepticon fly away had been a hard thing to see, especially since he'd unable to give chase.

Bumblebee returned moments later with a wounded Arcee, but no Starscream. It had not taken the Autobot leader long to fill in the missing pieces. Bumblebee called Ratchet who helped drag him and Bulkhead back to base. The medic tended to Arcee's wound, his huffing and mutterings strangely absent for once, leaving the base in a somber air.

Bumblebee and Arcee gave their reports, Arcee explaining what Starscream said and what he did. If he'd been able to, Optimus would have shuttered his optics in pain. Cliffjumper's passing had been hard on all of them and to have it now known that Starscream was the cause of their comrade's death left a heavy ach in Optimus's Spark.

Optimus could not fault Arcee for losing control, not about this. He'd tried to instill a lesson in controlling ones emotions, yet he too had failed to restrain such rage when confronted by Airachnid. Once Ratchet reversed the Immobilizers effect, Optimus had approached the femme, finding her hunched over as she gingerly rubbed at the recently healed area.

Starscream always did favor to finishing off his enemies up close and personal.

He'd approached Arcee, not to scold her for her actions, but to question her emotional state. It was in trying moments like these that Jack would approach the femme, waiting for her to speak and willing to help ease the pain. There was no Jack here anymore though and Optimus knew the boy would want someone to make sure that his guardian would be all right.

But when he'd approached her, Arcee spoke first, taking the guilt and blame when it had truly fallen onto his shoulders. Still, he was proud of her for finally realizing how grave it was to let revenge blind her. Hopefully, in the future, she would remember this day and think twice before charging into battle head first.

After that, Optimus returned to his room and waited for the days to pass until Jack would call again. He looked as his internal clock and sighed tiredly, Jack had estimated the he would call within the hour and it took all of the Prime's self-control to not call Jack sooner.

Jackson had made it clear, after Miko's many texts, that his relative had threatened to take away his phone since the boy seemed to be spending too much time on it in his caretaker's opinion. Jackson had promised to contact them when he was sure he wouldn't be any trouble and had asked them to refrain from calling or texting. Reluctantly, the Autobots had agreed while Miko had called Jack's relative a "helicopter grownup".

The children, Optimus sighed again, but this time in worry. This separation had been especially hard on the children. Rafael had arrived at the base yesterday with a black eye and Miko with a bleeding lip. Bulkhead and Bumblebee had been beside themselves with worry and anger. As Ratchet fussed over them, making sure that no other damages had been inflicted, Miko had explained how they came to be injured.

Apparently a boy named Vince, the same who used to harass Jackson in the past, now decided to harass Rafael instead. Miko had found the older boy pestering her friend and had intervened before anything bad could happen. The conflict had almost been resolved without incident, but then Vince had insulted Jackson and his mother, which was something Miko and Rafael could not stand for.

Miko was suspended from school for the next two days for throwing the first punch and Rafael was let off with a warning seeing as he was more of a victim in the situation. Normally, Optimus would have been disappointed in Miko and Rafael for resorting to violence, but defending their friend was commendable action, especially in light of the situation.

June Darby's memory had suffered enough.

The children were not taking Jackson's absence well. Rafael was silent more than normal, only speaking to Bumblebee when the Autobot scout pushed for conversations. Miko had become more loud and outgoing than usual, as if she were trying to fill up the empty space Jackson had left behind. The other Autobots were no better at handling the situation than the children.

Bulkhead was more anxious and more than willing to comply with Miko's wishes. Optimus believed that the Wrecker was just trying to make Miko as happy as possible and that the recent events had made Bulkhead realize that Jackson's situation could have very well been Miko's.

Bumblebee was worried for Rafael, often coming to Optimus for advice on how to help his small charge. Optimus, having no experience with younglings besides his few interactions with Jackson, didn't have much guidance to offer. He'd simply told Bumblebee to remain patient and to let Rafael know that he could talk to the Autobot about anything.

Ratchet was by far the easiest for Optimus to talk to. He and his old friend conversed about what was bothering them and respected the silence that came when the other refused to talk. Optimus listened attentively as Ratchet told him about his morning lessons with Jackson and in return, Optimus told Ratchet about his few outings with the boy. Optimus did the some topics of those conversations he'd had with Jackson to himself, the encounters held a special place in the Prime's Spark, that he refused to share with anyone.

Ratchet became silent when the subject of Jackson's current residence came up and Optimus could tell that his old friend dearly missed their oldest charge. Optimus in turn, became quiet when Ratchet questioned him about what he was going to say to Jackson at the next call. He knew his old friend could see his desire to speak to Jack, but the Prime refused to actually say such words.

At one point Optimus thought about explaining his reasons for his distance concerning Jackson, but decided to remain silent in the end. Ratchet might very well understand the reasons, but there was always a chance that his friend would offer an exception that Optimus might not have thought of. He could not allow Ratchet the chance to change his mind, even if his friends' disappointed stare had been almost unbearable to hold.

Arcee was the hardest in his ranks to communicate with. She and Cliffjumper had been the newest editions to Team Prime, arriving about two years before they met the children. She was by far the most emotionally damaged soldier compared to the others, her scars visible and still fresh. The loss of a comrade was never an easy burden to carry and Arcee had taken Tailgate's demise especially close to Spark.

And to lose Cliffjumper so soon, well Optimus had expected a far worse outcome from Arcee. It had been Jackson's sudden appearance that had helped Arcee the most. His presence kept her from closing herself off from the others, like she'd done once before. But Jackson was gone now and Arcee would only ever confide in the lucky few that she'd chosen to be her partners.

The others, Optimus included, had tried to talk to the two-wheeler, but she would quickly deflect any inquiries about her personal state, preferring to spend most of her time out on the roads to clear her head. She seemed to grow more distant from the team as every day passed; only ever coming out of her shell when Jack was mentioned. Today was the happiest the femme had been since Jack's last call, no doubt the recent revelation behind Cliffjumper's death troubled her processor greatly.

"_Optimus, come to the control room immediately, we have a serious problem._" Ratchet said suddenly through the Prime's comlink, his old friend sounding very alarmed. Optimus looked at his internal clock in concern and saw that it was close to the time Jackson had agreed to call. The Prime increased his speed, worried that something might have happened to their oldest charge.

~After the Fall~

Finally Jack had called and it was earlier than he'd promised too. Arcee was glad, immensely so, to know that her partner was just as eager to hear from them as they were to hear from him. She'd beaten Ratchet to the terminal this time and Miko and Raf raced each other to the spot just above the computer.

"Jack, you there partner?" Arcee asked, just barely masking the joy she felt from speaking to her human charge again. She missed Jack, more than she'd thought possible.

"_You were expecting maybe MECH?_" He asked back, sounding like he was about to burst into a fit of laughter at any second. Arcee frowned at that, worried and surprised that Jack had made a joke about the very people who'd played a hand in his Mother's death.

"Why would we expect MECH, I mean it's not like their interested in people, just the bots?" Miko questioned and this time Jack did laugh. It was darker and the sound of it sent a shiver of unease through Arcee's Spark.

"_That's true, but it was you guys who asked. Who else would answer my phone other than me?_" Jack asked again in an amused tone. "_It was just a joke, that's all guys. So, anything new happen this week?_" He said, sounding genuinely interested.

"Nothing really, Raf and I got into a fight with Vince and I was suspended from school for it." Miko said a little proudly as she folded her arms over her chest. They all heard Jack sigh in response before he started to lecture Miko about how fighting was wrong. "Yeah, well what was I supposed to do? Just stand there and let him badmouth you and your mom?" Miko huffed and Jack fell silent.

"_He's a jerk, just ignore him in the future, but thanks anyway._" He said softly after a few awkward moments. It wasn't a warm thank you, but more of a dismissive one, like Jack didn't want to discuss the subject any more.

"So partner, how's it been up there with your relative?" Arcee asked and was rewarded with another foreboding chuckle.

She caught Ratchet shift in his spot near the hallway and they shared an uneasy look. Arcee couldn't help but feel that something was wrong; it almost felt like who they were talking to wasn't Jack. He'd asked nothing personal; neither did he ask if everything was okay. But Jack worried; he always did, about everyone and everything. He laughed sure, but not nearly as much as he was doing in this call and the laughter itself was different.

Suddenly, a terrible thought made its way into her processor. '_Maybe this isn't Jack._'

Arcee had to make sure, even if she felt immensely guilty for some unknown reason. She would apologize to Jack if she was wrong; beg for his forgiveness for her lack of faith, but she had to be certain. She was just going to ask him something, something only her Jack would know, just to reassure herself. She was worrying over nothing; Jack would understand her caution and ease her worries like he always did.

"_I'm fine Arcee; nothing has changed since three days ago._" Jack answered easily and Arcee could almost imagine the shrug behind his words before he would move to ask about how she and the others were doing. Jack never really talked about himself in their conversations. "_What have the Decepticons been up to?_"

Arcee blinked. That was wrong; he was supposed to ask about them, not the Cons, her uneasiness grew.

"Well you know Cons; they never stay silent for long. Remember when we first met partner, when I was hiding from those two Vehicons in front of your school?" Arcee asked getting weird looks from almost everyone else. Miko was about to open her mouth to correct her, but Arcee sent her a glare that silenced her and the others. "Who would've thought that staying after class would lead to you finding out about us, huh?"

"_Yeah, that was one crazy day, but I don't regret it, not even for a second Arcee._" Jack answered warmly enough, but it had no effect on Arcee. There been no pause or hesitance in his reply that would be a result of quick thinking or stalling and he said the words the same way Jack would have, but this person wasn't Jack.

"I met Jack outside of his work, that's where the Cons found us. We were nowhere near his school, so who the frag are you and what have you done with Jack?" Arcee growled as the others turned to her worriedly and Ratchet cursed from behind her. The imposter laughed, but this time it was far more sinister than any of them had heard and it most certainly was not a sound Jack would ever make.

"Optimus, come to the hanger immediately, we have a serious problem." Ratchet said through his comlink as he approached the terminal and Arcee. There was no response but he could already here the sound of Optimus's approaching footsteps.

"_Is Optimus Prime there this time?_" The imposter asked sounding more amused than worried about his cover being blown. '_And why should he be worried? He's kept up this charade for at least the past five days. Primus please let Jack be alright._' Ratchet thought worriedly.

"I'm here Jackson what–" Optimus asked before Arcee interrupted him, her optics ferociously burning into his.

"That's not Jack." She growled and Optimus froze from where he stood just beyond the hallway and away from the others. How could he not be Jack? Had they not just talked to the boy three days ago? What was going on?

"_Indeed Arcee, I am not Mr. Darby._" The impersonator said, his voice not coming out as Jack's, but as his own, and it was one that all the Autobots recognized.

"_**Silas**__._" Arcee growled and Optimus felt his Spark stop pulsing. No, Jack could not have fallen into MECH's hands again, not without them knowing.

"_It took you long enough to figure it out._" The man, Jack's kidnapper, taunted. "_I've only had Mr. Darby in my possession for the past seven days._"

"What do you want Silas and what have you done to Jackson?" Optimus questioned in a harsh tone, oblivious to the worried look Ratchet was sending him or the looks of surprise coming from Bulkhead and Bumblebee. It was a well-known fact that Prime never lost his cool, but right here and now, they were all witnessing Optimus literally growling at their enemy.

"_Want? I want nothing from you Autobots; I took everything I needed from Jack._" Silas answered smugly and Arcee growled, earning an amused chuckle from the man. "_I can assure you Optimus Prime, when you meet Jack again, you will not like what you find. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to attend to my young guest._" And with that the call was disconnected, leaving everyone in the base either bewildered or stunned.

The others jumped in shock as Optimus's right fist slammed into a nearby wall, his face for once not emotionless, but full of anger. Arcee was in no better shape as she paced the area right in front of the Ground Bridge, itching to be sent out to get back her partner.

Raf was asking Bee about what they were going to and the scout did his best to ease his scared charge's concerns. Miko was shouting something in Japanese and Bulkhead slammed his fists menacingly, saying that they should go after MECH immediately. Ratchet on the other hand, was running every program he could to track Silas's location.

"Would everyone_ be quiet!_" Ratchet shouted over the loud din that had suddenly filled the room. The others fell silent at Ratchet's command and the medic sighed in relief. "Thank you, now if everyone can refrain from losing their heads again, I'm trying to locate Silas through the tracer I placed in Jack's phone."

Jack didn't know that such a trace was on his phone as Ratchet had never told him. The medic had requested to borrow Jack's cellular device to further his studies of Earth's technology. Jack had given him the phone without hesitation and Ratchet had felt a little guilty for abusing Jack's trust like that. He had made the trace for emergencies like now and the Autobot was just thankful that he'd been so cautious.

"How long will it take you to locate Silas, Ratchet?" Optimus asked quickly and the medic sent his friend a worried look. It had been a long time since he'd seen Optimus this… emotional, since before he was a Prime even.

"It depends, MECH is no doubt disrupting the signal or else I would have found them already. Rafael, can you give me a hand?" Ratchet asked and the little boy nodded before he moved towards the bot, laptop already out and booting up.

"Arcee, you and I will go to the residence of Jack's relative, covertly. Ratchet contact Agent Fowler and alert him of the situation." Optimus ordered as Arcee moved to the Ground Bridge and put in the set of coordinates that she had memorized by Spark.

Arriving at the farm was disheartening. The house was dilapidated with no sign of life nearby if their scanners were correct. Optimus ordered Arcee to investigate the barn while he followed the tire tracks that led into the field.

"_Optimus there's a bunch of tire impressions in the barn, looks like they set-up an ambush._" Arcee reported bitterly, a feeling Optimus could easily understand.

"Which means MECH was prepared for Jackson. It stands to reason that they revealed themselves once Agent Fowler was safely out of range." Optimus concluded as he continued to follow the tracks deeper into the field. "I surmise that Jackson fled from the vehicles into the field, where they eventually cornered him."

"Scrap, we should have never of let Jack go Optimus. We should have fought to keep him with us. MECH never would have gotten their hands on him if he'd have stayed at the base." Arcee said angrily through her comlink.

"_Arcee we must focus on finding Jack, we cannot allow ourselves to–_"

"Allow ourselves to what, Optimus? Be angry,_ vengeful?_ How can you not be furious Optimus? They took_**JACK!**_" The Femme shouted and her engine revved loudly in anger. She could not believe she'd failed to protect Jack! That after everything they'd been through, she just let him be taken. She hadn't even known about it, for seven days Jack had been held captive by Silas and they hadn't realized it until now!

"_Arcee, I understand your feelings. Jackson is just as important to me, but we cannot allow ourselves to give up hope!__We will find Silas and__we will get Jackson back. I swear it on the Matrix that resides within my Spark._" Optimus answered his tone sounding rougher and stiffer than anything Arcee had ever heard from him before.

Optimus heard her sigh in response and he turned his attention to the bag MECH had left behind when they had apprehended Jackson. The picture frame Jackson had once shown him before had fallen out of the bag and Optimus carefully picked it up, making sure not to damage the fragile keepsake. Dirt covered the frame and glass, but the most disconcerting sight was the crack in the glass that disfigured the image of a younger Jackson.

'_We will find you Jackson, I promise._'

~After the Fall~

Silas smiled as he exited the communications room. True his cover had been blown, but revealing in his victory had been worth the loss of his ruse. He could almost imagine the shocked, horrified, and angry faces the bots must have expressed when they found out who they were really talking to.

"Sir, we're ready to set the Spark into subject 01-JD." One of his scientists said and Silas nodded his head in understanding before moving to the observation deck. He looked down onto the Transformer body, admiring the gold colored tattoo that had been recently branded onto the bots' left shoulder.

_**XX01-JD**_

"Begin." Silas ordered as his men looked up at him. A costume made claw-like crane was lowered into the tank, grabbing the Spark before moving over to 01-JD's open chest cavity. The Spark was quickly, but carefully, lowered into the empty compartment and a soft hum emitted from it as wires and circuitry were connected to the turquoise orb, wrapping around the Spark protectively.

The body shook and jerked, looking as if it had just been doused in a surge of electricity. Fingers twitched, limbs vibrated, and 01-JD's back arched off of the table, held in place only because of the shackles and restraints.

"The Spark has accepted its new body sir, transplant complete, commencing memory deletion program." One of the scientists said and Silas nodded his head in consent, smiling and basking in his success.

As everyone focused on their assigned tasks, none of the men noticed 01-JD's visor glow a bright red for a split-second before turning dark again.

~After the Fall~

Okay, damn, that was hard. No seriously, you guys have no idea how much of a pain in the ass this was to write. Hopefully I did okay with this chapter, I like it, but it's not exactly amazing now is it. The importance of this chapter was mainly to set you up for the next chapter, which Jack does wake up in.

I want your opinions on this chapter though, I know it feels like a filler, but I only wrote down things that you needed to know, the action will kick up in the next chapter so please be patient.

~Hexalys~


	10. The Search Ends

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to review!

Holy shit everybody! This story is officially over a year old! That's messed up.

I finally put my noise to the grindstone and brainstormed for many days until I finally managed to come up with this. It's not as great as I wanted it to be, considering this chapter is such a dramatic point in the story, but I doubt I could make it any better at this point. Also, note that this is the longest chapter so far of this story.

Well, enough of the excuses, you can _**FINALLY**_ start reading!

~After the Fall~

Chapter 10: The Search Ends

Ratchet resisted the urge to growl in irritation as the screen in front of him read that his latest tracer had failed in targeting MECH's location. For the last six hours he and Rafael had tried numerous programs and algorithms, yet they were still no closer to rescuing Jack. He sighed tiredly and shot a glance over at the young human who had been assisting him.

Rafael looked exhausted, his body was hunched over his laptop and another yawn, the tenth one this hour Ratchet noted, escaped him. The boy's eyes, however weary, still shone with an unyielding determination that seemed to revive Ratchet's dwindling hope.

They had to find Jack.

As his latest tracker started up, Ratchet shot a look over at the neighboring medical bay, his optics lingering on the place that stored Jack's last blood samples. He turned back hesitantly towards the terminal, before reluctantly, moving towards the medical bay. The tracker would alert him if they found anything. He paused at the locked drawer that held the blood sample before entering the passcode and opening it slowly.

What he saw was not what he'd expected.

"By the All-Spark." He whispered, too stunned to speak any louder. His words did not fall on deaf ears though. Optimus, who had returned to the base hours ago with Arcee, had continued to linger in the back of the room, resolute to provide any assistance and ready to leave immediately for when they located Jack.

"Ratchet, what is wrong?" The Prime asked from behind him, but Ratchet couldn't even begin to articulate what was so erroneous. He could only turn towards his old friend, the small canister exposed in his large servo. He assumed Optimus had been stunned into silence too, for he didn't hear a gasp, a shout, or any other expression of surprise. His optics were focused solely on the terrible discovery that he should have learnt about days ago.

Jack had explained to him why human blood was red and the medic could clearly remember the night Jack had arrived on base covered in his Mother's Life Blood. He knew he could never forget such a disturbing sight, of how bright human blood could be when splattered across Jack's dark clothes and pale skin.

The blood sample wasn't red though, it was black.

Degradation.

Ratchet suddenly jerked back to reality, his medic senses kicking in, determined to isolate the reason for this dark phenomenon. He opened the human sized cylinder and carefully poured a few drops onto a glass slide. He placed the sample under the microscope and felt himself unconsciously inhale sharply, the action unfortunately catching Rafael's attention.

"Ratchet, what's that?" The sudden closeness of Rafael startled Ratchet so much that he swiftly scooped up the boy and stumbled as far away from the sample as he could, carrying Rafael further from the contaminated blood, his servos acting as a shield between the two. His Spark pulsed furiously in his chassis, unable to overcome the terror of how close Rafael had been to the tainted blood.

"Rafael,_ never _approach thatagain!" The Medic shouted as he still clutched the now scared human close to his Spark. "That is contaminated blood, if it were to come into contact with your blood stream, you would–" Ratchet broke off there, suddenly remembering exactly who the blood belonged to. "Oh Primus, please no, not Jack…"

~After the Fall~

When he slowly came out of stasis, he knew something was wrong. He heard movement around him, others talking and the beeping of various machines at work, but he didn't online his optics just yet. He searched his memory banks to figure out where he was, what he'd last done, and a sudden message appeared, saying that the data was inaccessible.

Wait, what?

He wasn't sure, but that seemed really wrong for some reason. Not just because of the fact that his memories files were apparently corrupted, but it was somewhat surprising to find that he actually had memory banks and hard drives to search through. Not too surprising though, as he knew how to search through his systems with a sense of familiarity and ease that could only come from having experienced the process before.

Still, the whole procedure felt odd to him.

Running a system scan, he found everything operational and that his Energon levels were at their maximum. A second later his more sensitive sensors alerted him to a virus that was in his systems, one that was currently being neutralized. His scanning systems analyzed it and found that the virus was actually a deletion program. So that's why his memory files were inaccessible, his system must have encoded them to keep them on a separate and locked server, protecting them from being erased.

Now that he knew why his memories were isolated, he needed to know who was behind the virus, as they were most likely a threat. His sensors picked up several body signatures of organic origin, eighteen in the near vicinity but several dozen more placed strategically throughout different levels of the complex he was in.

"Sir, it seems that the deletion process was a success. My scanner shows that the subject's memory banks have been completely wiped clean." He heard someone say and he barely resisted the urge to scoff. They had evidently forgotten to check his backup system, where his memory files were obviously being stored.

"Good, then let's wake our friend up, but be prepared to shut him down again, just in case 01-JD turns hostile." Someone, who was most likely the one in charge, ordered. '_01-JD, is that my name? It doesn't feel like it._' He thought as his systems were suddenly accessed and the unnecessary command to come out of stasis was emitted.

He allowed his body to move slightly, feigning drowsiness, and onlined his optics to see where he was. '_Humans._' He thought slowly as his red optics roved over the room and the people in it. '_I guess I expected something… else?_' He tilted his head slightly and tried to think about whom he'd expected to see. Cybertronians certainly, but which faction? For some reason, his systems identified both factions as his enemies and allies. '_I definitely need to get my memories back online._'

"Ah, welcome back to the world of the living 01-JD. I trust you have some questions?" A human, the leader he concluded, asked. He looked over the organic, spotting his face marred with battle scars, a fellow warrior then. Wait? Was he a warrior? Again, he felt that wasn't quite right. He pushed those thoughts to the side at the moment to focus on the human leader. There was something off about it and his Spark, for whatever reason, felt wary towards the small organic.

"W_he_re _**a**__-am_ _**I**_?" He asked, his speech laced with static from the lack of use. He frowned at his voice, finding it both unfamiliar and unwelcomed. "W_**ho**_ _a_m _I_, _a-a__**nd w**__-wh_o are y_ou_?" He asked sluggishly and sighed in annoyance, his self-repair system already adjusting his audio frequency to make it into something that sounded more natural.

"You, Project 01-JD, are in one of MECH's many bases. I am the leader of MECH, Silas. As for what MECH is, we are an organization interested in obtaining and creating the latest weapons and advancements in technology. You, my robotic friend, are the results of our latest experiment."

Silas, huh? That sounded like the name of a snake. He paused, how did he know what a snake was? Hearing the man's name though, left a bad feeling in the back of his mind and his instincts were warning him to stay away from this human, that he was dangerous.

"_S__**o-o**_ I'm w-_wha_t, _**a**__-__**a**__-_a lab _ra_t t_o yo_u? Wh_y d__**on't**_I ha_ve_ any _mem__**or**_ies-_**s**_-_**s**_?" He asked as calmly as he could, he knew that the humans could force him back into a stasis the moment he showed any aggression. They had dozens of cables plugged into him, into his systems and anyone of them could be connected directly to his central processor. He shifted slightly, testing the restraints on his arms and legs that the humans had obviously placed onto him, finding that they were too strong for him to break free of.

"Oh no 01-JD, you're much more valuable than a lab rat. You will be the first of a new army, the general of the greatest force ever created by mankind." The human, Silas, said smugly and he was barely able to hold back an annoyed growl. This was getting him nowhere. He had no idea who he was and Silas's explanations were not giving him much to go on.

'_Alright, ignore the human. What do I know? MECH has compromised my systems, tied me down like a prisoner and supposedly, I'm the results of some experiment.'_ He shifted again, this time letting his optics roam over the room in search for an exit. '_If I am a human experiment, then what does that make me?_'He thought suddenly as he looked over his own body, from his position he could only see his shoulders and chest.

He saw black armor with faded gold highlights appearing in several areas, accentuating the polished shine that came from his slightly buffed chest. He frowned and shifted his shoulders, focusing on the small spikes coming off of them. They didn't feel cumbersome, but much lighter and more unobtrusive than he'd have expected. He also felt as if his head was weighted down slightly by something, they protruded out of the sides of his head and curving upward slightly. If he focused hard enough, he could make the wiggle a little and that was definitely an odd sensation.

This didn't seem right at all. Had the armor always been there? What about the things on his head? He felt very terrified at that moment, like he'd just lost something precious that he would never be able to get back.

"_**I**__-I-__**I**_, _**w**_-w_ha_t a_m_ _**I?**_" He thought he might be a Cybertronian, but that didn't seem right. In fact, that thought filled him with a dread that he couldn't even begin to understand. Maybe he was human? Well that felt more right, but it was obviously still wrong. After all, he certainly didn't look human. "Am_** I**_ _hum-__**m**__-__**m**__-__**m**__-_man?"

"No, you're not." Silas said, his smile mocking and tone just a bit short of sounding malicious. He didn't really pay attention to those little facts though, because he was too busy dealing with the sudden pain in his chest.

He didn't know why, but that answer made his Spark feel as if it were breaking in two. No doubt the feeling was influenced by his memories. Even though he didn't have access to them, they were still there, linked through binary circuitry and giving him an idea on what he was supposed to be feeling.

And right now, his feelings were telling him to hate this organic, to get as far away from Silas as possible. To run away and get help, but help from who? He didn't really remember anybody. Did he have a family somewhere? Primus, he was starting to wish he'd never woken up. He had too many unanswerable questions.

"You were nothing more than a pile of scraps when my men found you, a relic left for dead. It was MECH that gave you new life, a Spark and free will. No longer are you just a pawn to be sacrificed, but a knight that'll take the battlefield by storm." Silas said in such a sickeningly pleased tone that it made him feel dirty and used. If the human was trying to gain his favor, then he was doing a very poor job of it.

"So, _n-no_t Auto_bot_-_**t**_-_**t**_ or D_ec_-_c_-_**c**_-_**cept**_icon, b_**ut**_-_t __**M**_-_MEC_H?" He asked trying to play the part of a confused… whatever he was. He needed to escape, he certain of that much. From there he would find a place to lie low until he had access to his memories once again. For now, he had to act like he believed in Silas's story, presenting himself as a trusting and lost experiment.

The smirk on the human's face told him that his act had been bought hook, line and sinker.

"Tell me 01-JD, what do you know about the Autobots and the Decepticons?" Silas asked, his dark, narrowed eyes a sharp contrast to the kind front he was putting up. '_Guess I spoke too soon._' He thought as he mentally reviewed all the information that he possessed at the moment.

"Th_e Au_tob_ot__**s**__-__**s**__-__**s**_a_**nd Dec**_epti_c-c_on_s_-_s_ a_re_ _**w**_-_**w**_-_war_ring fact_ions-s-__**s**__-__**s**_. Cyber-_t-__**t**__-__**tro**_n has _b-be_come uni_nha-__**ha**__-__**ha**__bi_table d_ue to_ the wa_r-__**r**__-__**r**_ and _Ener-__**er**__-er_gon has ru_n low_. The De_**cep**_ticon_s-s-s_ are _h-he__**r**_e to h_**arve**_st Ener_go__**n**__-__**n**_, the Auto_**bots**__-s-s d_o the sa_me __**wh**__il_e _pro-__**o**__-__**o**_-_tec_ting the hu_mans-__**s**_." He answered with difficulty.

"And who are the leaders of the two factions?" He paused before answering, because really, that was a very good question. He thought for a moment, scouring the few memories that were left to him, and found he was only able to answer part of the question.

"T_he lea_de_r_-_**r**_ of _the De_cep_ti_con_s_-_**s**_ is L_ord __**Meg**_atron-_n_. I d_o no__**t**_ remem_ber-__**r**__-__**r**_ wh_o __**l**__-le_ads the _**A**__u_tob_ots_-_s_, some_thing-__**g**_to do w_ith_ **a** _Pri_me, I _**t**__-thi_nk…" He answered, paying close attention to how Silas reacted at learning that he was able to remember at least some things. '_If they were going for a total memory wipe, they didn't do a very good job._' He still had quite a few memories, though they mostly consisted of combat training and different protocols.

It just seemed to be his personal memories that were missing. Then again, perhaps that was what MECH had been aiming for.

Did that mean he actually knew the Autobot leader; perhaps he'd even called the bot his friend before? But then why had he shown Megatron respect by calling him lord? His Spark felt loyal towards both factions. Had he been an Autobot or a Decepticon before MECH had gotten their hands on him?

"Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. He and the others will soon come to fear you, 01-JD." Silas said, breaking him out of his thoughts. The human's words made his Spark pulse with trepidation and his optics zoomed in on the man's sinister smile, committing it to his memory banks so as not to forget how dangerous the smaller creature truly was.

He definitely needed to escape from this place and fast.

~After the Fall~

"All right Ratchet we're all here, now what's the big emergency? Did you find Jack?" Arcee asked harshly, a glare directed at the medic that had pulled her away from her hunt for Jack. While the others had been content to wait for when Ratchet and Raf located MECH, Arcee scoured across the neighboring areas around Jasper, searching for her partner the old fashion way.

She knew the chances of her stumbling across MECH's base were dismal, but she just couldn't stay inside the base and do nothing. She felt she like she had to search for Jack, if nothing else than to take her mind off of the dark thoughts that haunted her processor. Guilt, anger and sadness where just the more prominent emotions she'd been feeling since she learnt that Silas had taken Jack.

Somehow, this was worse than when Cliff had faced the Cons on his own and she'd been too far away to help. Back then she'd been able to hope for the best, Cliff was a trained soldier, one who'd been fighting for eons and had been on his own before. There'd been no reason to think that he couldn't handle himself until she'd arrived as backup.

Jack wasn't like Cliff though, he wasn't a warrior, he'd never truly fought before and she couldn't be his backup because she had no idea where he was. She had no hope really, only the rare chance that Silas might have kept Jack alive for information or maybe leverage.

"There is a very grave problem, one that I foolishly failed to notice until now." Ratchet said bitterly after a moment and Arcee felt apprehension begin to build in the back of her processor. Ratchet rarely admitted that he'd screwed something up to them, especially with such self-criticism. "If we do not find Jack very soon, it is most likely that he will perish."

Arcee clenched her fists tightly in anger, she already knew she had to save Jack soon, that MECH could kill him at any moment. She was about to lash out and say as much to Ratchet, when he suddenly brought up an image on the terminal's screen. The picture showed a few circular blobs, they were black and spiked out at random, smashing at each other only to devour the other.

Whatever she was looking at, Arcee knew that it wasn't good.

"This is the blood sample that I took from Jack before he left, right after the cave-in incident." Ratchet explained tiredly as he brought up another image, this one looking like the circular blobs, but they were red and bounced off each other harmlessly. "And this is how the human Life Blood is supposed to look."

The room seemed to freeze. Arcee caught Raf's and Miko's horrified looks, and she could see Optimus stiffen even further, obviously realizing something that she hadn't yet. Unease built up inside of Arcee, making her limbs shake and she kept up her glare, hoping the others would take her sudden trembling as a result of her anger.

"I've run a diagnostic, and having seen this before, I can conclusively say that Jack has been infected with a substance of Cybertronian origin. It's started a degrading process; his body is slowly breaking down on itself. If we don't get Jack back soon, then he will die."

Silence. Nobody spoke, nobody moved, nobody breathed.

Arcee felt her legs buckle beneath her as she collapsed onto the floor. She yelled furiously at nothing, her fists smashing into the ground and leaving indentations, unable to articulate how utterly destroyed she suddenly felt. She couldn't let the others see it though, the way she was falling apart inside. It was better to seem enraged, angry that these things kept happening to her and her partners.

She felt a servo land on her shoulder, gripping her to the point of painful. Arcee felt the metal being dented as the fingers curved in deeper and she sent a glare up at their owner, fully expecting it to be Bulkhead as he'd never been able to control his own strength. It wasn't Bulkhead though, it was Optimus.

She froze at the glare he was sending her, her Spark flinching back in fear at the ire her usually apathetic leader was displaying. His grip tightened and she had to bite back a grunt of pain while her optics widened even further. She was violently lifted from the floor and slammed onto her feet, her smaller frame jarring slightly from the harsh but slight impact.

"You will not give up on Jackson so easily, is that understood Arcee?" Optimus said firmly, the words coming out as an order that instinctively made her straighten her posture and salute. "Jackson is depending on us, _on you_ to rescue him and we will not fail him." Arcee's diming hope burned in response to her leader's words, unable to mask her awe as she stared up at the last Prime. She hadn't felt this inspired by the Mech since she'd first followed him into battle.

A sudden ringing came from the computer and Ratchet jumped slightly before rushing over to the terminal. He let out an exclamation that Raf echoed from behind his laptop. The medic turned towards them, a smile almost breaking through his serious and gruff exterior.

"We've located MECH, they're base is to the east of here." The medic said as he brought up the coordinates and loaded them into the Ground Bridge.

"They're in Connecticut." Raf offered as he zoomed in closer on the location and Ratchet huffed, obviously not caring for Raf's further explanation.

"Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, prepare to move out." Optimus ordered and a fiery cheer came from Miko as she encouraged Bulkhead with moves that he should use on MECH.

"Optimus, I'm coming too." Ratchet said as Arcee moved to stand in front of the Ground Bridge. She saw that Optimus was about to argue, but Ratchet continued. "Jack might need immediate medical attention; there's no telling what condition we'll find him in." The Prime was silent for a moment, obviously thinking, before he came to a decision and nodded.

"Autobots, roll out!" The familiar command set off some sort of reaction in Arcee's Spark, plunging her systems full of strength and power as she and the others charged through the Ground Bridge.

They arrived inside the building and their presence was noticed almost immediately, Arcee quickly dodged the shots, firing back but making sure not to hit any of the humans. No matter what atrocities MECH might commit, Optimus would never condone human casualties.

"Arcee, you and Bumblebee will search the complex, find Jack." Optimus ordered and Arcee nodded, transforming with Bumblebee following right behind her. As she drove through rooms and dodged enemy gunfire, she prayed that Primus would help her find her partner.

~After the Fall~

He woke up suddenly at the sound of weapons being fired and people rushing around him in a frantic stampede, distantly realizing that MECH must have put him into stasis earlier at some point. Scientists rushed back and forth to save their research, while soldiers ran to help fight off whatever it was that was attacking the base. And in all the chaos, in the godsend distraction, no one had noticed that he'd woken up.

Knowing that this was his best chance to escape, he used the cables connected to his systems to reverse-hack the humans' systems. He quickly found the command for his restraints and activated the release sequence, freeing his arms and legs. He reached up and hastily tore out the cords and cables that were still connected to him, unfortunately drawing attention to his actions.

"The test subject is free; I repeat the test subject is free." One of the humans announced into a machine, making his voice echo throughout the room, alerting everyone to his escape. Not wasting anytime, he stood on his pedes shakily, feeling as if his limbs were longer than they should be. Some of the humans ran out of the room screaming, while the few that had weapons opened fire on him. As the blasts hit his armor, he had the sudden memory of knocking down a wasps' nest and being attack by the horde of insects.

Startled by the abrupt image, he stumbled slightly and his foot came down on a small structure, destroying one of MECH's computers. He heard some of the humans give horrid cries and shouts about lost research and he smirked to himself. Following his instincts, he transformed his left servo into a single-barreled blaster and shot at another terminal. He could think of no better revenge than destroying all the intelligence and information that was being stored in the room.

"Somebody stop him! He's going after the research!" They're yells and curses directed towards him and his actions brought him a very satisfying feeling.

All of a sudden, his sensors came online, alerting him to five Cybertronian signals coming from a little deeper into the base and he wasn't sure if they were friend of foe. Could they be there to rescue him or was it merely a coincidence? Either way, he couldn't take the chance of possibly being outnumbered by even more enemies.

Pointing his blaster in the opposite direction, he fired at a wall, destroying it and letting in a bright light that shone slightly through the clouds of dust. At the sight of daylight, everything around him seemed to slow down in that moment and he approached the large hole that led to freedom. Ignoring the panicking humans, he paused as a sun shown down on him and he finally took a second to look over his body.

He was obviously Cybertronian, he had a sleek form, and his body consisted of sharp edges that seemed to fit his decently sized build. There didn't seem to be any heavy parts on his frame, but he could tell that his chassis was the thickest part of his armor, protecting his Spark. He'd obviously been built for speed. He flexed his servos, only partly surprised to see that he had five digits when it felt like he should only have three.

Shaking himself out of the odd nostalgia, he transformed, gasping in surprise at the radical shift in his structure. He was much closer to the ground now and he tilted his head to look over himself, bringing human sized limbs up to his chest. It had to be the strangest alt mode in the history of Cybertron, of that he was sure.

He was a motorcycle and a very large one at that. The color schemes of black and dirtied gold continued into his vehicle mode. His optics had become headlights, making him wonder how he could see since everything he viewed came from a higher point of perception. The handle bars were gold, while the dominate color of the large bike shone black. The gold coloring continued onto the rims of the tires, the kickstand, and the exposed underbelly engine.

He spotted the tattoo _**XX01-JD**_, painted in large gold letters over the right side of the bike's front. The seat sunk a little into the bike frame, the rubber-like material that used to cover his weaker points, took the place of what should have been leather and a gold rim outlined the material. On the back of the bike were large exhaust pipes, also painted gold, and he revved the engine, making them growl and roar in response.

What was the strange part though, was that not only was he the bike, but also the rider sitting on it, attached to the motorcycle through his feet, though he was sure he could detach the rider part of himself and still move. Even though the motorcycle was him and he could command it as easily as one did their legs, he felt that his main consciousness was inside the rider part.

The rubber-like material was mostly covering the rider, which was the shape of a human's body. The rubber stretched over the softer metal that had made up the unprotected parts of his bipedal mode. Some thicker pieces of metal covered the rubber, making it look like armor, the plating being either gold or black.

He brought a servo up to his head, finding that it was something like a motorcyclists' helmet. His red visor that normally covered his optics had shifted, forming the glass to his helmet and acting as his eyes instead. He could tell that nothing resided under the glass other than metal.

"Hey, stop him! The subject has breached the building and has reached the outside!" A human shouted from behind him, pulling him out of his observations. He turned back to look at the humans, and was only slightly disappointed to see that Silas wasn't there. He would have liked to have rubbed his escape in the arrogant organic's face.

Instead, he settled with giving the soldiers a mocking wave goodbye before he drove away, shouting in exhilaration at how fast he was going.

~After the Fall~

At first, Optimus had feared that they'd arrived too late. That MECH had already done away with Jackson, but then he heard an announcement about someone escaping and his Spark beat with elation at the thought that Jackson must have used their attack to his advantage.

They pushed through the rooms slowly, Optimus checking in on Arcee and Bumblebee every few minutes to see if they'd found Jackson yet. Each negative he received cut deep into his Spark and the worry for Jackson's survival grew. Silas made an appearance half way into the fight, telling them where they could find Jackson before he flew off in a helicopter, a smirk visible on his angry face.

That sickeningly familiar feeling of something being horribly wrong burned into Optimus and the Matrix thrummed painfully against his chassis. He prayed to Primus that they had not failed, that they would be taking Jackson back with them, whole and alive.

As MECH continued to flee, Optimus led Bulkhead and Ratchet towards where Jackson was supposedly being kept, very much aware of the fact that it could easily be a trap. The memory of Silas having turned Breakdown's optic into bait for a hidden bomb hung ominously in the back of his processor. What Optimus had not been expecting when he entered the abandoned room was the smell that greeted them.

It was horrible and disgusting, worse than anything Optimus had ever experienced before.

Then he spotted it, the small mound wrapped in a black tarp resting in the corner of the room, it clearly producing the terrible smell. He was about to order they leave, fearing that they'd been deceived, when his optics spotted a small hand peeking out from under the black. His Spark raced quickly, it seemingly knowing that he'd finally found Jackson and that he could bring the boy home. He was determined to never let the boy leave their care again, no matter what Agent Fowler or the humans said. He moved across the room, faster than the others, and pulled back the tarp.

His Spark stopped beating and then it shattered into a thousand pieces.

They had indeed found Jackson, but they'd been too late, much too late.

His tanks boiled over and he had to consciously hold back the need to purge. He heard Ratchet make some sort of choked noise behind him, as if he'd tried to stop a sob from leaving his throat. Bulkhead roared loudly, its essence and the emotions behind it seemed to shake the buildings structure.

Jackson did not stir.

His body was rotted in some places, showing that he'd been deceased for some time. Where the boy's skin had once been warm, smooth and tan, it was now cold, dry looking, and so very pale. There was no expression of Jackson's face, no lasting impression of agony or dread. Optimus could only hope that the boy had been given a painless death.

Seeing the gaping hole in the boy's chest made him sure that such a mercy wasn't so.

Jackson's eyes were thankfully closed; Optimus didn't think he'd be able to face the boy if they'd been open. He could almost imagine those blue-grey eyes, glassy but still able to express so much. He wondered what emotions those eyelids were hiding. Fear, maybe tears that had long since dried up or perhaps, worse of all, an accusing stare, one that blamed Optimus for not being there to save him.

"_Optimus, I heard Bulkhead yell, is everything okay? Did you find Jack?_" Arcee asked them over their comlinks and Optimus flinched, unable to find it in himself to tell her the truth.

"No Arcee, I fear Silas has taken Jackson with him." He said as calmly as he could. He heard the two-wheeler curse, but also noticed the relived tone in her words. "Still, I want to be absolutely certain, continue your search with Bumblebee."

"_Understood._" She responded, ending the call and leaving the three Autobots in deafening silence.

"…Optimus, you can't keep this from them, they'll–"

"I will tell them eventually Ratchet, but right now… I do not have the strength to." The last Prime interrupted quietly as he stared down at the body of Jackson Darby. "Let them hold onto hope a little longer, old friend."

"You're doing them no favors Optimus. Put yourself in their place, would you rather the truth or an empty gesture at kindness?" The Medic asked and Optimus remained silent, truly unsure of which he would prefer.

"In any case, you two will remain silent on this matter. I will tell them the truth soon enough." He bent down and picked up the body, grimacing at the stiffness of the boy's limbs. He transformed, Jackson's body now resting in his cab, and wrapped a seatbelt around the boy, remembering a time when he'd done so once before, but to comfort the child instead of keeping him from falling over. "Help Arcee and Bumblebee search the base, look for any clues on where MECH might seek refuge. I will return to base and find a place to keep Jackson until…" He trailed off, incapable of finishing the sentence.

The other two Autobots nodded before transforming and driving off, Ratchet pausing only long enough to stare at the spot where they'd found Jackson. Once he was alone, Optimus released a sigh mixed with a bitter yell. His Spark throbbed painfully, the loss of his Sparkling an ache he never wanted to bear.

"I'm sorry Jackson, so very, very sorry."

~After the Fall~

Oh God, that was so sad… Optimus feels make me cry every time.

Jack's alt-form is like Sideways from Transformers Armada, the only difference is that Jack can dethatch the rider part from the bike part. His armor makes up the bike and the unarmored parts of his body make up the rider. I did this because MECH is an espionage-like group. Jack's odd alt mode is exactly what they needed. Please don't nobody be hatin' on this form, I personally think it is very badass.

The bike is not mine; it's actually the motorcycle Fenrir that belongs to Cloud Strife in Final Fantasy Advent Children. There's a picture link on my profile so go ahead and check it out if you don't know what I'm talking about. Fenrir's maximum speed is up to 400 mph, making Jack the fastest ground vehicle ever. That's going to piss Knock Out off to no end.

There's also a link for the rider part of Jack's alt mode. The picture itself isn't what he looks like; it's just an idea to give you what I've envisioned. I searched through hundreds of pictures online and this is the best one I could find. Just picture what I described over it and then you should get an idea of what I was going for.

~Hexalys~


	11. Aftermath

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to review!

I am so excited to see the new season! I saw the new promos and it all looked so freaking epic.

Anyways, all that excitement got me geared up to write the next chapter in celebration for the new season. So, enjoy my dear readers! Also, nobody spoil anything for me. I haven't seen the new episode yet.

~After the Fall~

Chapter 11: Aftermath

After escaping MECH, he eventually got over his new found freedom and found a cave to take refuge in. He'd been hesitant to enter at first; there'd been something buried in the back of his processor that warned him about the seemingly harmless whole in the ground. He brushed the feeling aside, but not before scanning the cave just in case.

Once he felt suitable hidden, he began the long and arduous process of restoring his memory files. First he'd searched through his systems to make sure MECH hadn't left any surprises. He found a virus that would instantly put him into stasis, should his memory files fluctuate. From there a distress signal would be emitted, giving MECH his location. He destroyed the program and purged his systems of any other precautions MECH might have installed.

Once that task was done, he moved onto decrypting his backup server stored in his neural network. After spending several hours of adjusting algorithms and bypassing codes, he had access to his missing memory files. The victory was a somewhat hollow one, seeing as he still had to assimilate the files into his core memory banks, a process that would take several days. He had a lot of data, meaning he was much older than he'd originally thought.

He sat back against the cavern wall and offlined his optics, focusing his attentions on the first set of memories that were being downloaded.

_**He awoke from inside a pod, the latch opening slowly as his systems turned on for the first time. A purple and black Mech stood in front of him, taller by some few feet, with a large blaster-model arm and a singular red optic that was his face. **_

"_**Activation completed; what is your designation and function, soldier?" The larger Mech asked and his optics shot towards the symbol exposed on the Mechs chassis, recognizing it as the mark of the Decepticons, his faction.**_

"_**Designation: ST-113V3. Model Type: Vehicon - Ground Mode; Personality Drone. Class: First Rank Soldier." He stated, the information having already been integrated into his processor. "Function: To serve Lord Megatron and the Decepticon cause." **_

"_**Good, I am your superior, Shockwave, head to the arena for basic training." With that Shockwave moved onto the next pod, awakening another Vehicon and repeating the process. ST-113V3 did as he was ordered and left the chamber he'd awoken in, finding a line of other Vehicons heading towards the direction of the arena.**_

"_**Hey, my designation's GA-11B3, what's yours?" The Vehicon in front of ST-113V3 said, he didn't answer, but continued to stare ahead of him. "Oh, man not another Basic Drone. I'm only one in this unit with a personality chip?" GA-11B3 asked out loud.**_

"_**I have a personality chip; I simply didn't care to answer your question." ST-113V3 replied looking over at the Vehicon, who had slowed down in order to walk beside him.**_

"_**Really? That's great! Well, not you ignoring my question, that's rude. I meant that it's great that there's another Personality Drone. We're a dying breed my friend. I think you and I are the only PD's in this batch." GA-11B3 said.**_

"_**How fortunate for me to have one such as you as company." He grumbled, but GA-11B3 clearly heard him and simply started to laugh in response. He supposed there were worse PDs he could have gotten stuck with. "I'm ST-113V3."**_

"_**Well ST-113V3, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship."**_

~After the Fall~

The base was quiet, it usually was now.

The Autobots had returned yesterday, but with no sign of Jack. Miko choose to take that as a positive. If he wasn't with them, then Jack was with MECH and they obviously wanted him for something since he was still alive. Miko frowned at that thought, hating how the possibility of Jack dying was very real. She knew that things were dangerous, had known that since the day she followed Bulkhead into the Ground Bridge for the first time. This wasn't something she was prepared for though.

She'd thought that the Decepticons were the only thing she had to worry about, and even then, she knew Bulkhead would never let anything bad happen to her. Sure they had some close calls in the past, but that was part of the adventure. It wouldn't be any fun without the threat of danger.

This situation wasn't like when the bots were taking down a squadron of Vehicons. This was something worse. Maybe it was because there'd been no real fight, maybe it the shock of finding out that MECH had taken Jack without them realizing it. Whatever the case, Miko was not having fun now.

Her thoughts kept turning back to Jack and about what MECH could be doing to him. She wasn't naïve enough to think that her friend was just being kept in a room, bored, but healthy and safe. She'd seen enough movies to know better. Her overactive imagination painted out the worst scenarios, he mind always creating an image bordering on what someone would find in a horror movie. It certainly hadn't helped when she looked up practices of torture that people still used. It made her stomach churn.

With these dark thoughts always hanging in the back of her mind, Miko wondered how the bots were handling the situation. She considered herself an upbeat person, but not an optimist; she simply didn't let the bad things keep her down. But everything just suddenly seemed too heavy and sometimes she felt suffocated from the thoughts of what could be.

She tried to seem unaffected, to go about her days as usual, rocking out to music, sleeping in class, and eager to see the Bots in action. She found she could still handle the first two, but the Autobots had apparently hit their all-time low with Jack being gone.

Arcee didn't talk, Bulkhead stared into space a lot, Bumblebee stayed in his room most of the time, and Ratchet was meaner than ever. Then yesterday happened, they found out where Jack was and the Autobots stormed the enemy base. Jack coming back with them was a given.

He didn't come back though.

Miko sat on the couch, her eyes focusing on the spot where Jack usually sat, her legs pulled up to her chest. Yesterday's excursion surprisingly had a positive effect on Arcee. Her constant anger was replaced with fiery determination, her recent personality taking a complete turnaround. She talked to the others, searched the computer for any of MECH's previous signals and spent her mornings searching the areas surrounding MECH's latest base.

Arcee's sudden attitude shift affected Bumblebee, who was more often than not helping Arcee when he wasn't entertaining Raf. Miko had been worried about the younger boy at first, he'd taken Jack's capture really hard and Bumblebee's previous depression hadn't helped. Now though, since Bee was strengthened by Arcee's new resolve, the Scout had been able to cheer Raf up considerably. Sure the kid still had bouts of sadness from time to time, but Bee always managed to distract Raf long before the boy could reduce himself to tears due to worry.

After yesterday, Arcee and Bumblebee were the only ones who changed for the better.

Ratchet had retreated to his lab, silent and grim; his usual mutters and grumbles now missing. He didn't even yell at Bumblebee when the yellow bot accidentally broke one of his tools. Miko didn't like it. Doc bot wasn't Doc bot if he wasn't chewing somebody out. She figured that Ratchet had just been so sure that they would find Jack that seemingly losing him again must have been a bitter pill for Ratchet to swallow.

Bulkhead was also worse. He seemed angrier to Miko. He'd pounded on a block of metal that was kept in the Autobot's training room for almost three hours yesterday, leaving it as a pitiful pile of crunched metal. Miko had asked what happened at MECH's base, but Bulkhead had simply growled at her, telling her not to ask him that question ever again. She wisely kept her mouth shut for the rest of the night.

It was Optimus who worried her the most. She hadn't seen the Boss bot since he arrived at base yesterday in his Vehicle form. She'd pummeled him with questions, which he simply ignored, and drove down the hallway, not even bothering to change back to normal. When she'd asked Raf's thoughts about it, the boy genius guessed that the Prime just didn't want anyone to see his face. It made Miko wonder, had Optimus been crying? Could Autobots cry?

As she puzzled over that concept, she came to realize that Jack must mean a heck of a lot more to Optimus than she'd first thought.

"Not watching the monster truck rally, Miko? I thought there was a special show on today." Bulkhead said as he entered the main room, disrupting Miko's thoughts. She looked up from the couch, towards her best friend and smiled a little.

"Nah, I'm not really in the mood." She said and he frowned a little,

"I don't see where the fascination is in watching innocent vehicles battle each other for human entertainment." Ratchet said from his spot in front of the main terminal before shuddering slightly. "It sounds like a blood sport."

"Exactly!" Miko cheered and Bulkhead grinned in agreement.

"Besides, shouldn't you be out helping Optimus in the field, Bulkhead?" The Medic continued, his optics firmly locked on the computer screen. The two had yet to discuss Optimus's decision of not telling the others about Jack's true condition. There was a silent agreement between them to not bring it up until Optimus talked with the others.

"Aw, he doesn't need my help to search for some ancient educational thingamabob." Ratchet shook his head at his teammate's ignorance.

"The _thingamabob_, to which you refer, happens to be a Cybertronian Data Cylinder." He corrected before transmitting the information onto the TV in front of Miko for visual aide. "And there's no telling what vast intelligence it may hold. During the Golden Age, dozens of these cylinders were created, each containing the sum total of Cybertronian knowledge on any given subject, stellar cartography, medicine, ancient mythology. War broke out and the cylinders were hidden throughout the galaxies to keep them as far as possible from Decepticon reach. Detecting ones' signal here, on Earth, is the opportunity of a–"

"Argh, T.M.I. dude." Miko groaned as she collapsed into the couch.

"Yeah, Ratchet, we didn't ask for a history lesson." Bulkhead said and Ratchet huffed. '_Yes well,_ _Jack would have appreciated the lesson._' He almost retorted, before remembering that Jack wasn't alive anymore and would never get know such things now. Ratchet bowed his head, suddenly realizing that he would never again be able to share any more information with Jack. The computer beeped suddenly, breaking Ratchet out of his thoughts.

"_Ratchet, Decepticon ambush, the Cylinder is at risk, we require backup._" Optimus said over his comlink and the Medic turned to Bulkhead after inputting the correct coordinates into the Ground Bridge.

"Backup is what I'm built for." The Wrecker said as he shared a look with Miko, excitement shining through her hazel eyes. He smirked at her; it had been awhile since he'd last seen that look.

"Go bend some fenders Bulk." Miko called after him as the Mech disappeared through the Ground Bridge. She smiled a little sadly to herself as she stared at the portal. Sneaking after the Bots just wasn't as fun without Jack there to stop her.

"I have an important mission for you too, Miko." Ratchet said and she looked up at him in disbelief.

"Really?" Her eagerness fell flat when she saw the mop in Ratchets' hand. "Ugh." She groaned as she took the mop, sighing in disappointment as Ratchet turned away. '_Okay, so I can either do chores or watch Bulk kick Decepticon grill._' She thought to herself for a moment before tossing the mop with a scoff and running down the stairs. It was a no-brainer.

Whoa didn't even begin to describe the scene she stumbled upon. She spotted Arcee in the distance fighting against Breakdown; she was totally kicking his butt. Bumblebee was doing much the same with a Vehicon. Then there was Optimus, who was fighting against Knock Out and exactly winning, she cringed in sympathy as the Prime took a kick to the face.

Finally there was Bulkhead; her guardian was making scrap metal out of some poor Vehicon who had the misfortunate of fighting the Wrecker. She watched in awe as he sent one of his fists slamming into the Cons' chest knocking lose some metal which smashed into the ground like a rockslide. That Con was so done.

But then it started to fall backwards, directly towards her. She ran, barely escaping being squashed, and took cover behind a rock before the others could see her. She watched as Optimus finally gained the upper hand on Knock Out and threw the Con away from him, not doubt nicking the Con's precious paintjob.

"Autobots, stand your ground. The artifact must not fall into enemy hands." The Prime stated before moving to attack an advancing Vehicon. Miko looked and found the cylinder Ratchet had been going on about sitting in the center of the battlefield, just waiting to be plucked up.

She saw Arcee try to make a grab for it, only for Knock Out to tackle her into the ground. He charged towards the cylinder before Bulk intercepted, knocking the sports car back. Breakdown appeared and grabbed Bulkhead from behind. Miko took her chance, running out from cover and over to the cylinder. Bringing up her cellphone, she called Ratchet, her breath coming in fast due to adrenaline.

"Ratchet, come in." She yelled, trying to make her voice heard over the sound of clashing metal.

"_Miko? This is an emergency channel, we need to keep it open for the Auto– Wait, where are you?_" She heard him asked and scoffed, where else would she be? Definitely not mopping, that's for sure.

"Duh, I'm with the thingamabob." She answered, looking back at the metal thing she was leaning against. Huh, now that she got a pretty good look at it, it was kinda cool.

"_Thingamabob… the Data Cylinder?_" He shouted and she rolled her eyes. '_Way to be quick on the uptake Ratchet._'

"Yes. Can you Bridge it out of here?" She asked before ducking her head to protect it from some nearby debris.

"_I'll reactivate arrival coordinates._" He answered and Miko looked over the thingamabob to see the green portal open up yards away.

"Dude, can't you open it any closer?" She hissed.

"_Supply coordinates._" Was the Medic's terse reply.

"Uh, fifty yards?" She guessed.

"_Precise coordinates._" He growled back and Miko was about to respond when a hunk of flying metal just missed her head by a few feet. She put away her phone and tried to push the cylinder over towards the Bridge, growling from the effort. The hunk of metal didn't give an inch. She backed up several feet and rand forwards with a countdown, delivering a sidekick and ending up flat on her back.

She must have done something though, because the thingamabob began to emit a clicking noise before the frontend folded open. An ominous whirling sound echoed from the cylinder as the red light at its' head began to grow brighter.

The sound attracted the attention of those closest to it and Bulkhead turned to see Miko right next to the thingamabob. Panic over took him, he didn't know what the thing did, but there was a chance it could hurt Miko. His processor brought up an image of Jack, and he could see the kids' broken body lying right in front of his optics. Suddenly the image changed, it wasn't Jack's body anymore, but Miko's.

"Miko!" He charged forwards, to her, forgetting about Breakdown for the moment. The Con swung at his back, knocking him forwards and onto the ground, right in front of the thingamabob. He shook his head and looked up, a bright flash of red overtaking his vision before everything went black.

~After the Fall~

"_**What do you mean he didn't make it?" ST-113V3 growled as he glared at the other Vehicon who was reporting in from the latest skirmish against the Autobots. They were currently based in a temporary camp, their unit acting as support for any squads out in the field. ST-113V3 was in charge of the unit, which consisted mostly of scouts and rookies.**_

"_**Lord Megatron was overpowered by–" The Vehicon never finished his sentence. ST-113V3 stood over the fallen body, blaster smoking slightly from the shot he'd just unloaded into the Drone's Spark chamber.**_

"_**You." He said sternly, pointing at the only Vehicon in the room who hadn't flinched at the unexpected action. "Explain, and please, don't try my patience. I am no mood for any form of stupidity."**_

"_**Sir, this Drone saw what appeared to be the enemy, Optimus Prime, delivering a powerful blow against Lord Megatron. This Drone is unsure sure of Lord Megatron's condition as he fell into a deep ravine. Our scanners showed no life signal when we searched for him." The Vehicon stated as two other Drones silently moved the dead bot out of their current command center.**_

"_**And what of the Autobots, surely they would have searched the ravine." He said before turning away from his soldiers. It didn't escape his notice the way some of the Drones skirted away from him, afraid to attract any attention lest they also end up decommissioned. 'Cowards, the whole lot of them.' ST-113V3 thought, disgusted by the Drones he'd been saddled with. He'd make a transfer request to the Captain after this assignment was over. **_

"_**The Prime did not escape the battle unscathed, sir; Lord Megatron dealt him a fatal blow. The Autobots were more concerned with getting their leader medical attention than searching for Lord Megatron." The Drone answered and ST-113V3 turned to address his troops.**_

"_**There is a good chance that Lord Megatron has already contacted HQ and left the ravine through means of a Ground Bridge. However, I want to be certain our Lord is safe. Three of you will accompany me and search the ravine. Soldier, what's your designation?" He asked the previous Vehicon, who saluted in response.**_

"_**J-1AM35, sir." The Drone responded and ST-113V3 nodded before ordering the best two scouts to come forwards for the mission. He dismissed the other Vehicons and motioned for J-1AM35 to lead them to where he'd last seen the Warlord.**_

"_**We'll split into two groups to search for Lord Megatron. Keep radio silence unless you find him or if it's an emergency." He ordered, receiving a chorus of yes sir's. **_

"_**Sir, why didn't we just call HQ to see if Lord Megatron had arrived?" One of the scouts asked as they drove over the destroyed wasteland that had once been a city, if ST-113V3 remembered correctly.**_

"_**As a supporting unit, we are commanded to avoid using long distance transmissions. We don't want the Autobots to hack into any outgoing feeds and find out where we are. We respond to those in trouble, surprising the Autobots with our sudden appearance, thereby catching the enemy off-guard." He explained, understanding that he was dealing with a Drone fresh out of basic training. "Now let's hurry, the Autobots have most likely sent out a squadron in hopes of finding Lord Megatron injured."**_

_**The rest of the mission was continued in silence, with ST-113V3 only speaking to direct the scouts on which side of the ravine they were to look, while he and J-1AM35 went in the opposing direction. It wasn't until nightfall when they finally found a sign of Lord Megatron.**_

_**It was J-1AM35 who spotted the trail of Energon that lead into a cave. But it was ST-113V3 who noticed someone else had found the trail first. Three different sets of pedeprints led into the cave, their pace quick. He pulled out his blaster, taking the lead, and told J-1AM35 to keep his optics open. **_

_**As they traveled deeper into the planet, ST-113V3 heard the sounds of gunfire and the familiar ring of Megatron's fusion cannon. They charged forward, ducking behind some rocks as they took in the sight before them. The three Autobots had Lord Megatron pinned down behind some stalagmites. Seeing as they were still undiscovered, ST-113V3 took careful aim, his patience earning a direct hit in one of the Autobot's chassis. **_

_**The Autobots rounded on their friend, while the smallest one of their group, a blue two-wheeler femme shouted in anger before returning fire. ST-113V3 ducked, the shot nicking his shoulder and he turned around just in time to see J-1AM35 fall forwards, his head now gone. **_

_**He dove over towards Megatron as the bots retreated to their own cover, barely dodging the Warlord's blasts as they dragged the Mech he'd injured with them to safety. When they shot back, Lord Megatron crouched down, giving ST-113V3 a clear view of his leader's injuries. The side of his helmet had been bashed in slightly, a trail of Energon leaking down the silver metal. It was his chassis that had suffered the worst damage though. A decent sized burn mark rested near his Spark, the metal twisted and pinched in several places, the wound pouring out the Mech's precious Life Blood.**_

"_**My comlink is ruined." The leader of the Decepticons said as he gestured to his injured head, explaining why the Warlord hadn't called for a Ground Bridge or assistance. "The Autobots have tried to call for reinforcements, but the compositions in this cavern are disrupting their signals."**_

"_**Meaning we can't use the comlinks either." ST-113V3 finished and Megatron nodded. This was his first time actually meeting the Mech. Of course ST-113V3 had seen the Overlord in battle or when he gave speeches, but he'd never actually talked to the ex-Gladiator before. It was a little overwhelming.**_

"_**Precisely, so it would be best to finish this fight quickly." The silver Mech said before glancing over their cover to gauge how the Autobots were faring. ST-113V3 eyed his leader's wounds, realizing that they were taking their toll on Megatron. 'How does he still have any Energon left?' He thought morbidly as he spotted the numerous puddles surrounding them.**_

_**He fired more fiercely at the Autobots, determined not to fail his leader. **_

~After the Fall~

Miko felt like crying, she really did.

They'd already lost Jack, maybe forever; she didn't want to lose Bulkhead too. She sat on the balcony over hanging Ratchet's lab, legs tucked close to her chest, wishing somebody could comfort her. The funny thing was, only two people could comfort her now, and both of them were the ones in the most trouble.

Jack and Bulkhead.

It was moments like these, where they hadn't gotten past the close calls yet, where she was stuck at that point of wondering if everything was going to turn out alright, was when she missed Jack the most. Even if he was the biggest killjoy she'd ever met, Jack still had this way about him that made things seem okay.

Bulk didn't stir from where he was laid out, from what Ratchet said, he was basically in a coma. Miko didn't like seeing her best friend so still, not when she knew he should be fighting Cons or dune bashing and rocking out with her. Miko's head shot up as she got an idea and ran off for her guitar, if there was one thing that was going to wake Bulkhead up, it would be their favorite jam.

Optimus watched the girl run over to the children's couch, optics dull as he took in the state of his Wrecker. Bulkhead's deterioration into this unresponsive state was hitting the team hard. The fire that had renewed in Arcee and Bulkhead after yesterday's failed rescue attempt seemed to be snuffed out. Arcee leaned against the back wall, facing the opposite direction of everyone else. Bumblebee was huddled near Bulkhead's berth, the young scout staring down sadly at his friend.

Ratchet was perhaps the worse. His old friend stood still and silent, having known that this catatonic state was inevitable from the moment his scans showed Bulkhead's neural network being rewritten. It didn't ease the pain any though. Optimus was sure that thoughts or what he could have done to help Bulkhead were running thought Ratchet's processor at that very moment. The Medical Officer no doubt felt somewhat responsible for Bulkhead's ill health.

When Optimus looked at Bulkhead, his thoughts turned to Jackson, the boy's body too still, resting in an internal slumber. Optimus had taken Jackson's body to the back storage room, Ratchet having built a cooling container to keep the body from decomposing even more. He wanted to bury the child with his parents, knowing Jackson would have wanted it that way.

Optimus had still not told the others of Jackson's condition, not even Agent Fowler, who had every resource available to him out looking for the boy and any sign of MECH. Now though, looking down at Bulkhead, the Prime knew he wouldn't be revealing the truth anytime soon.

Optimus watched with solemn optics as Miko returned to her earlier post, her musical instrument in her hands. She stood over Bulkhead with a pained and hopeful expression painted over her face and Optimus felt his Spark pulse with dread. He couldn't imagine how she would look once she found out about Jackson. The girl strummed the guitar, the musical chord loud and amplified, ringing throughout the silent base like a ghostly wail.

Bulkhead did not stir.

He saw the girl's shoulders slump, the guitar lose in her hands, almost as if she'd lost the strength to hang onto it. A whimper escaped her and he saw Arcee move, ready to comfort Miko as the girl started to break down.

"Brrrrnggggh! Oh man, I love that song!" Bulkhead shouted suddenly as he sat up and mimed playing an invisible guitar. The cheers that welcomed the Wreckers revival deafened Optimus for a moment, but he smiled along with the others, standing in the back next to Arcee as they crowded their awakened comrade.

"I think this is a good sign Optimus." Arcee said as she smiled at Miko, who was brushing away tears as she hugged Bulkhead's servo. "We'll find Jack soon, I know it."

Optimus said nothing, not willing to ruin the small bit of happiness his men had been granted.

~After the Fall~

_**Captain, he didn't think he would ever make that rank, not with the hundreds of other warriors competing for the spot. ST-113V3 stood proudly in front of the Decepticon ranks that were lined up below him, spying GA-11B3 among the crowd. The idiot actually waved at him before nudging the Drone next to him, no doubt bragging about how he was best friends with the new Captain of the entire Vehicon division.**_

_**He let his optics observe the higher deck, where the ranked officers of the Decepticon faction were standing. He spotted Commander Starscream at the front, looking interested in the proceedings, but was obviously not paying attention as his optics kept shooting all over the room. The Communications Officer, Soundwave, stood away from the others, silent as ever. Lieutenant Dreadwing seemed to command the most attention, his various scars a sign of his true nature as a warrior. Knock Out, the vain Medic Officer was preening at his reflection and paying little attention to anything else. And finally there was Shockwave, the Third-in-Command, who stood just as silently as Soundwave. **_

_**ST-113V3 turned his attention to Lord Megatron as the larger Mech stepped onto the elevated platform, his own scars showing just as proudly, if not more so, than Dreadwing's. **_

"_**My fellow Decepticons, we are here to inaugurate and recognize the greatest fighter among you!" The ex-Gladiator said and the troops of Vehicons cheered in response. "It is with great honor that I bestow the rank of Captain onto this Mech. May the Decepticons flourish with his guidance and experience." The Overlord continued over the crowd as he approached ST-113V3 with a simple medal in his servos. It was a sign as his badge of office, a silver Decepticon insignia that he would wear proudly until his Spark was extinguished. **_

"_**I remember you." Lord Megatron said suddenly, the badge still in his hand, speaking normally so that the others could not hear. "You were the Drone that aided me in that cave long ago." ST-113V3 nodded, surprised that his superior had recognized him. "You are a Personality Drone, yes?"**_

"_**I was gifted with the programs from both the Gladiators and the Elite Guard." He answered and the silver Mech smirked. "Thank you for the promotion Lord Megatron, I will not let you down." The Warlord's smirk turned a little darker and ST-113V3 felt his Spark pulse in fear.**_

"_**For your sake, you better not."**_

~After the Fall~

First off, let me explain that I've created two types of Drones in this fic. The Personality Drones (PDs) and the Basic Drones (BDs). Personality Drones are, obviously, Vehicons with personality chips. Eventually, as the war got worse the Decepticons couldn't get the material to create anymore PDs thus, the BDs were born. They're basically mindless machines, acting like the general human consensus of how robots should act. Also, I made up Shockwave being TIC, it just seemed like it was believable.

Jack is unlocking all of his memories from oldest to newest, meaning he has to go through all of Steve's memories first. He doesn't know that they're Steve's memories, since he doesn't remember he used to be Jack yet, so he believes all of the memories are his own. It's complicated, but let's just say that this process leads to trouble in the next chapter.

Finally did a POV from someone besides Jack, Optimus, Arcee and Ratchet. Sure I had little things thrown in there, like Silas and Steve, but this is the first time I actually went deep with someone who I really don't like. Yep, that's right, I'm a Miko hater. I actually think I did a pretty good job with her, considering I hate her guts. Kudos to me. I also liked doing that little sprinkle of Bulk's side of things at the beginning.

~Hexalys~


	12. Mistaken Identity

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to review!

Okay, this chapter is starting near the end of episode 22, just in case any of you are confused by the way that I'm jumping write into this. I didn't bother to start earlier; feeling like it would be too hashed out by repeating everything that happened in the beginning episode where Jack wouldn't be involved besides passing thoughts.

Anywho, read and enjoy the awesomeness that I have created for you. Oh, and don't forget to leave me a review afterwards, my awesomeness demands tribute!

~After the Fall~

Chapter 12: Mistaken Identity

It was the distress signal that grabbed his attention and interrupted his memory download. It being emitted from a Miner Drone, one who he didn't recognize, but the code for help was legitimate. ST-113V3 left his cave with 96% of his core files downloaded, storing the rest of the information on the locked server.

He could recover the rest of the data later; right now one of his soldiers needed his assistance.

Fortunately, the Drone wasn't very far away from his current location. After several minutes of high-speed driving, ST-113V3 arrived at his destination to see Vehicons strewn across a canyon floor near some Drillers. They'd obviously been mining Energon when the Autobots attacked. He setup his sensors, picking up four foreign life signals on the overhanging cliff. ST-113V3 scaled the rocky terrain as quickly and quietly as he could, dampening his own signature so that he couldn't be detected.

They were the Autobots alright and he recognized each of them, the two-wheeler Femme, the Wrecker, the Medic, and the Prime himself. He searched the area, but didn't see the yellow Scout Youngling nor the loudmouthed red Mech who Commander Starscream hated with a passion.

There was no Miner Drone or the remains of one from what he could tell, meaning the Drone must have escaped, though it was likely that the Vehicon wasn't very far away from this location. Confused as to why the Autobots had let an enemy get away, ST-113V3 increased his audio range to hear what the enemy was saying.

"–what separates us from the Decepticons." The Prime stated decisively, his body offensive posture directed at the Medic. '_Trouble amongst the ranks? Wonder what the Medic did to set Prime off like that?_' ST-113V3 thought as he watched the two Autobots go at while the rest stood on the sidelines, unsure of what to do. The Medic scoffed in response.

"Is this really the time for another lecture Optimus? You didn't just happen to discover Megatron's location did you? Well I did! And do you happen to know where there's a stockpile of raw Energon ripe for the taking? I do!" The Medic shouted, making ST-113V3 straighten with interest. He wasn't low on Energon, he hadn't even used a quarter of his fuel yet, but that didn't mean he wouldn't go for a pick-me-up at this point.

"Come on Ratchet, calm it down." The Wrecker tried, laying a servo on the Bots shoulder strut only to be knocked away.

"Calm is the last thing we need." The Medic growled as he stalked away from his allies. "Calm is what lost us Cybertron. The Cons have a Warship, an army, all this Energon scouting; you think Megatron isn't gearing up for something big? We're squandering our resources, chasing after his crumbs when we really need to be hitting him hard and hitting him now! Precisely where it hurts."

For some reason, the Medic's words and attitude had a negative effect on him. There was of course anger for how the Bot threatened Lord Megatron, but there was something else there at the back of his processor, radiating from the last bits of data that he'd yet to integrate into his neural system. Was it worry that plagued his mind? ST-113V3 thought that it might be, except that worry wasn't directed towards what the Bots might do to his faction, but rather for the Medic himself.

"A direct assault on the Decepticons would only provoke retaliation and lead to incalculable losses. I will not endanger innocent human lives." The Prime stated firmly, trying to pull his subordinate in line.

"Don't you mean _**any more**_ human lives?" The Medic hissed and the Prime flinched back, looking as if he'd just been struck. "You seem to have no problem endangering our lives though, just ask Cliffjumper and Jack. Oh, I forgot, they couldn't be here today."

"That's it!" The Femme shouted as she charged at the Medic, only to be held back by the Wrecker who wasn't fairing much better. '_So that's what happened to the loudmouthed Mech._' He thought distantly while wondering who this Jack was. The name sounded familiar, he just wasn't sure why.

"You know what your problem is, Optimus?" The Medic said after a moment, the Prime facing in the opposite direction, clearly not wanting to hear whatever his soldier was going to say next. "For such a big strong bot, you're soft. You didn't pound Megatron into scrap when you had the chance, many chances in fact! And it's the same with MECH. Jack would be here now if you would have just finished Silas off at the beginning!"

'_MECH, if I ever see that organic Silas again, he's paste._' ST-113V3 thought angrily, his servos digging into the wall of rocks beneath his lean frame. The last memory he'd downloaded before stopping was of MECH torturing him for information about Sparks. Perhaps he'd met Jack there while they'd both been in MECH's custody, fellow prisoners hoping to be rescued. He looked at the Prime, seeing the Autobot leader bowing his head, clearly upset by the Medic's words.

"I'm afraid that the Synthetic Energon has impaired your judgment, old friend." Prime said after a minute, his tone just as firm as before, showing no sign of how affected he was. "I am confining you to base until further notice. Bumblebee, Bridge us back."

"…Fine." The Medic growled before entering the newly emerged Ground Bridge. The other Autobots moved to follow, when the Medic suddenly charged back out, tackling the Wrecker and knocking him into the Prime. The rebelling Autobot transformed and drove away from the group with an impressive speed that would be hard for most to keep up with.

"What do we do now Optimus?" The Femme asked and the Prime sighed.

"We return to base and track Ratchet's location. We must stop him before he attempts anything dangerous." He answered, watching the dissipating dust trail that his comrade had left behind.

"I say we just let him go and once he burns that Synthetic scrap out of his system, then we pick him up. He probably just needs to blow off some steam anyways; this hasn't exactly been the easiest week for any of us." The Wrecker said as he climbed to his pedes, brushing off the dirt that clung to his armor.

"No. I fear that with the information Ratchet acquired, he is most likely heading towards Megatron's current location." The Prime stated grimly. "Autobots, return back to base." ST-113V3 watched as the Autobots disappeared before he transformed, trailing after the Medic's tire tracks.

A half-an-hour later, ST-113V3 arrived at the mouth of a cave that was located at the base of a mountain. '_What is with Energon and caves? Why can't it just grow out of the ground like trees do?_' The sudden thought took him by surprise. He knew why Energon could only be harvested in underground structures. The minerals could easily amalgamate off of the dark and damp surfaces that such environments provided. Energon composites did not need sunlight like the Earth's vegetation required.

So where had that odd query come from?

His thoughts were cut off as he heard the sound of clashing metal echo throughout the tunnel. He charged forwards, checking the way ahead to make sure it was clear of Autobots and found Breakdown and a Vehicon lying on the ground. ST-113V3 moved to the two Cons, checking their vital signs and finding that they were merely in stasis.

The sound of blaster fire caught his attention and he investigated, spotting the Autobots moving along the lower levels and shooting down every Vehicon that was within their sights. He moved to chase after them, his arm transforming into a large single barrel blaster, ready to shoot at the Femme. Just as he was about to damage her, two Drones opened fire on him, forcing him to dodge and lose sight of his target.

"Scrap, I'm on your side you idiots! Code: TL-67B, cease fire immediately!" He shouted, reciting the code for assistance that was most commonly used among the Decepticon ranks. The two Vehicons stopped and simply redirected their blasts at the disappearing Autobots. '_Of course their BD's, isn't that just my luck?_' ST-113V3 thought bitterly to himself, a servo brushing over the mesh wound on his shoulder strut.

He stayed where he was instead of following the Bots, knowing now that he would more than likely be shot at again by his own faction, unintentionally giving the Autobots a distraction. He turned back to where he'd found Breakdown earlier, rushing forward to provide assistance when he saw that the Con was slowly get up. He halted in his advances as the larger Mech directed a glare at him, only just remembering that he no longer looked like a Vehicon.

"Who are you?" Breakdown asked harshly as he brought up his hammer and ST-113V3 froze for a second. He could answer the Con honestly, telling Breakdown that he'd once been a Vehicon captured and reformatted by MECH, but then Lord Megatron would most likely punish him for allowing himself to be captured by the pathetic organics in the first place.

ST-113V3 decided to take a lead out of Commander Starscream's book, figuring it was better to lie and start over at this point. Maybe he would be given a higher position among the ranks if he started with a clean slate.

"Just a Neutral." He answered while putting his servos in the air, showing that he meant no harm. "I was driving through the area when I picked up this place on my sensors. I would have kept on going if I'd known that there was a fight going down." He lied, only slightly grateful that MECH hadn't left him his Decepticon crest. "I try to avoid conflict."

"What's a Neutral doing in this part of the galaxy?" Breakdown asked, not lowering his weapon just yet.

"The same reason you're here, this planet is ripe with Energon." He replied and Breakdown finally lowered his hammer, convinced of his ruse. The Con was about to say something else, when the roar of an engine was heard from behind them and they both turned to see a speeding sports car heading toward them.

"Breakdown, we need to get out of here now, the Autobots have arrived." Knock Out said as he transformed, but paused at seeing at ST-113V3. "Who are you?" The Medical Officer demanded from beside Breakdown, the Mech's optics giving his framework a once over. ST-113V3 distantly realized that he was taller than Knock Out, but about a head shorter than Breakdown. The height wasn't much taller than his previous form, but it was still something that he only just noticed while being confronted by his betters.

"He says he's a Neutral." Breakdown supplied and Knock Out narrowed his optics.

"Well, I've certainly never seen him before and his model is very unusual." The Doc muttered to himself, though they still heard him clearly. "What's a Neutral doing in Decepticon territory, trying to take our Energon were you?" Knock Out said louder, addressing him in a suspicious manner.

"Like I told your friend here, I was just simply passing through." ST-113V3 answered as he shrugged his struts, ignoring the way his wound ached in discomfort.

"Then why stay behind when you found us here? Looking to join the Decepticons, neutral?" Knock Out mused, pretending to look down at his servos in an uncaring manner while Breakdown stood silently behind him. "You know, I could put in a good word for you to Lord Megatron. Being the Chief Medical Officer onboard gives me some input on how things are run." ST-113V3 almost scoffed at that lie, Lord Megatron cared for Knock Out's opinions about as much as he did for the Commander's.

"Well, this rock is getting harder to find Energon on by myself." He said lightly, as if he were unsure of his decision. Inwardly ST-113V3 was smirking triumphantly, it was about time he caught a break.

"But lucky for you, we Decepticons have plenty to spare." Knock Out egged on, giving him a sharp smile. "Of course, we only share with those who bare our mark."

"Hmm, tell you what Doc? Give me some time to think about it, after all, it's not every day a neutral joins the war." He said simply. ST-113V3 knew he should be jumping at this golden opportunity, but there was something holding him back, a something that came from his remaining memories. The reluctance and indecisiveness was enough to make him hold off for now.

He would join the Decepticons after he downloaded that last bit of his memory files.

"Splendid, I'll just tell Lord Megatron of your pending decision, shall I?" Knock Out said as he and Breakdown entered the Ground Bridge that appeared behind them. "Oh, a word of advice, don't keep him waiting." The warning was enough to send a jolt of unease into his tanks, he knew better than to test Lord Megatron's patience.

ST-113V3 returned towards the entrance of the cave and transformed, heading in the direction of his former location. As he drove, his thoughts surprisingly turned towards the Autobots. He caught himself wondering how the Medic was faring before shoving the mutinous thought away. What did he care about what happened to the Autobots? If anything, he should rejoice in their losses, not worry over their conditions.

Arriving at his cave some time later, ST-113V3 retook his position up against the cavern wall and offlined his optics. He accessed his neural network and initiated the program for the remaining files to be integrated into his core memory banks. Oddly enough, the first memory he received was of an organic femme with blue optics, smiling down at him.

~After the Fall~

"You should be resting old friend." Optimus said as he entered the med bay, seeing Ratchet working to patch his injury.

"I have rested, now it's time for me to get back to work. I haven't even come close to triangulating MECH's newest location yet." Ratchet growled back before sighing. "I apologize Optimus; it seems not all of the Synthetic Energon has run its course."

"It is alright, Ratchet." The calm Mech intoned, laying a comforting servo on the Medic's strut.

"No it isn't Optimus. I look back on what I said today and feel my tanks churn in disgust. I do not blame you for the deaths of neither Cliffjumper nor Jack. And I certainly do not blame you for the loss of Cybertron." The gruff Mech said sadly, his optics focused on the wound in his chassis.

Optimus said nothing, but he was grateful to hear Ratchet's words. Even though he hadn't admitted it out loud, Ratchet's earlier accusations had broken his already shattered Spark. There wasn't a moment that passed where Optimus wasn't thinking about how he'd failed Jackson.

Upon their return and after taking care of Ratchet's injuries, he'd retreated to his quarters, standing beside the cryogenic unit Ratchet had made to preserve Jackson's body. His thoughts imagined how terrified the boy must have been during his imprisonment. Of how much pain MECH must have put the boy through, and how Jackson must have hoped that they would save him. His last moments must have been horrifying.

"Optimus, the others need to know." The Medic said after a moment, breaking the Prime out of his haunting thoughts. "About Jack, they have a right to know, this waiting will only make things worse." Optimus turned away from his friend so that he wouldn't have to see the truth behind the Mech's words.

"I can't Ratchet, not yet, it has only been two days. Let Arcee and the kids have their hope for a little bit longer." He answered in a soft tone.

"Hope can be just as hurtful when there is nothing to show for it, Optimus." The Medic retorted and the Prime shuttered his optics.

"Can you imagine yourself delivering such terrible news to young Rafael, my friend?"

"I–" Ratchet spluttered for a second before recovering, his optics focused on the couch where the children usually took up residence. "No, I do not think I would have the strength to." He admitted quietly. The room was silent for a moment before he spoke again. "What will we do once we find MECH?"

"I wish I could say that I knew my friend." Optimus answered heavily. "Lately, ashamed as I am to admit it, I feel my Spark filled with dark urges." He almost whispered, his optics focusing on Ratchet's "In my processor, the code of Primes demands for Silas to be taken in and handed over to Agent Fowler, but in my Spark…" He shuddered slightly, not seeing how Ratchet's optics widened.

"Optimus…"

"In my Spark I want nothing more than to crush Silas's frail form with my servos. I want to see him suffer, to see his life end." He continued in a hushed tone, looking down at his clenched servos. "I want to kill him Ratchet; I want revenge for what he did to my Sparkling."

~After the Fall~

"_**Come on Jack, you can do it, I know you can." A kind and loving voice said from ahead of him. The five year old bit his lip and shook his head, no matter what his daddy said, he didn't want to go into the water in front of him. "I won't let anything bad happen to you Jackie-boy, I promise."**_

"_**But I'm scared daddy, why can't I just use my floaties?" He asked, looking longingly over at said objects that rested nearby a foldout chair. His daddy wanted him to learn how to swim, but Jack thought he was doing just fine with his blowup water wings. **_

"_**Because it's important that you learn, okay? You might be in deep water one day without them, so you need to learn how to swim." His daddy answered softly and Jack frowned as he looked down at the pond's shore. "I won't let you go kiddo." **_

"_**I'll make sure that he won't baby." His mommy said from behind him, leaving her shirt on over her swimsuit. Pouting, Jack raised his arms and she easily picked him up, holding him close as she walked into the water. **_

"_**Brr, it's cold!" She yelped and Jack giggled as daddy brought a finger up to his lips before splashing mommy. She shouted in surprise and so did Jack, since some of the water got on him too, but he quickly started to laugh as his mommy splashed back.**_

~After the Fall~

"A Neutral you say?" Megatron asked in thought and Knock Out nodded.

"Yes my Lord."

"Tell me Knock Out, did you meet this Mech before or after you failed to retrieve the Synthetic Energon." The Warlord growled and Knock Out flinched back, knowing that he'd stepped into dangerous territory.

"I was still able to recover a sample of the substance, my Lord." He offered meekly. He'd hoped that the news of a possible recruit would take the Mech's mind off of his blunder; Lord Megatron rarely let any failure go unpunished. "With a little bit of time, I could breakdown the formula and recreate more."

"Hmm, then I suppose you didn't completely fail me then." The dark tone Megatron used did little to ease Knock Out's nerves. "Soundwave, have you picked up anything of a Neutral being seen by the humans?" The Communications Officer was silent for a moment before a voice played over his intercom.

"_Is there any sign of 01-JD?_" An angry voice asked, one that made Breakdown's head shoot up in recognition.

"_No sir, none, the target remains elusive._"

"_Well keep looking; I will not lose another subject!_" Silence reigned in and the others waited to see if Soundwave had anything else, but after a moment, the Con shook his head.

"Hmm, I do recall seeing human letterings that read 'XX01-JD' marring the Neutral's paintjob." Knock Out mused out loud, oblivious to the change in his assistant.

"That was the human leader who captured me." Breakdown said hatefully, a servo brushing over the patch where his optic used to be.

"Then it seems they'd succeeded in capturing another Cybertronian, though the Neutral apparently managed to escape on his own merit." Megatron said and Breakdown bowed his head in shame. "We may be able to use this to our advantage." The Decepticon leader said before smirking to himself. "Soundwave, be on the lookout for our new friend, I want to reach him before Prime can fill his processor with his soft Sparked ideals."

~After the Fall~

_**The Vehicon was staring at him, probably glaring, though Jack couldn't tell because he couldn't see the Vehicon's face. He griped the handle bars of the bike tightly, ready to run if the Decepticon decided to attack him again.**_

_**"So you're a techno-organic." The Vehicon stated, his voice not harsh, but weary. Jack looked at him in surprise and confusion; he hadn't really expected the Vehicon to start the conversation after all.**_

_**"I'm a what? What did you call me and how come you aren't trying to hurt me anymore?" Jack asked nervously, the entire situation was too surreal. He was probably the first human to ever have an actual conversation with a Vehicon.**_

_**"A techno-organic is a being that is part organic and part Cybertronian. You have to be a techno-organic otherwise you couldn't possibly be here. As for hurting you, well that's no longer an option, not unless I wanted to hurt myself too." The Vehicon said before he sighed and slumped down to the ground even more.**_

_**"Wait; hold up, you've lost me. Why don't we start at the beginning, like where are we exactly? I recognize this place as Kaon, but how come there's stuff from my world here as well?" Jack asked and the Vehicon sat up a little straighter, looking more interested than before.**_

_**"You know of Kaon, Fleshy, how?" The Vehicon asked and Jack glared up at the Decepticon before he spoke.**_

_**"I have a name you know, it's Jack. I've seen Kaon before, but only as an impression from inside of Megatron's subconscious. One of the Autobots used some sort of psychic cord to get into Megatron's mind; I was able to see it through that Autobots' optics." Jack said and the Vehicon paused, seemingly thinking about what Jack had said. "What's your name?" He asked bringing the Decepticon out of his musings.**_

_**"My designation is ST-113V3, Fleshy. You are one of the pets that the Autobots keep, correct?" ST-113V3 said in a somewhat condescending tone. Jack clenched his teeth, before he regained his cool, he could play the name game too.**_

_**"I'm their friend, well more like family. I used to live with them before MECH got their hands on me." Jack said while grimacing at nothing, he turned to look at the Decepticon and found his visor glowing a brighter red than usual. "ST3-1311V31, huh? That name is far too long, you need to shorten it." Jack said as he grinned up at the obviously indignant Vehicon.**_

_**"It's ST-113V3, Fleshy, get it right, though I suppose the name is too long for such a primitive creature like you to be able to remember. How about you just call me Superior, hmm? That should be easy enough for you to recall." The Vehicon responded and Jack was sure he was grinning.**_

_**"Hmm, no Superior just doesn't really suit you… I know! I'll just call you Steve." Jack proclaimed as he smiled up at the furious looking Decepticon, trying his hardest not to laugh. What better way to insult someone who hated humans then to give them a human name?**_

_**"Fleshy, I'm warning you." The Vehicon growled threateningly and Jack returned the tone.**_

_**"If you call me Jack, I'll call you ST-113V3. Call me Fleshy and I'll call you Steve." Jack said simply and the Vehicon continued to glare at him for another moment before he scoffed and returned to his slumped position.**_

_**"You've got bearings human, I'll give you that. Very well, Jack. We are in our subconscious, much like what you witnessed with Lord Megatron. We are here because our Sparks have begun to fuse–"**_

_**"Whoa, wait a minute, I don't have a Spark!" Jack cried out before he looked down at his hands. "Right? I mean, yeah strange things have been happening to me recently, but–"**_

_**"You could not be here if you did not have one. The strange things you were going through was most likely your body changing because of the Life Blood you had been exposed to. You should be grateful to the humans who captured you; I have little doubt that this forced fusion saved your life." ST-113V3 said harshly, his visor glowing a dark red. "I know of no recorded information of a techno-organic ever living very long. Their organic bodies are unable to handle Energon and without Energon the Spark dies. Right now, those humans who have captured us have fused our Sparks into one."**_

_**"What does this fusion thing mean for us? What'll happen to us?" Jack asked as he stared up at the Vehicon in shock, fear, and panic. So he really was on the verge of death, or at least he used to be. Should he be grateful towards MECH for saving his life?**_

_**"A Cybertronians' entire being is their Spark, it's their heart, mind and soul all rolled into one. If a Spark becomes too damaged, a fusion is sometimes made in order to save the wounded bot, the two Sparks become one over time. Their personalities and memories meshing together, both are the same beings, but also a new being entirely." The Decepticon paused and stared off into the distance for a few moments before he spoke again. "That fate awaits us as well; no doubt you can already see how our Sparks are combining just by looking at the scenery around us. Your subconscious is already fusing with mine." The Vehicon said as he pointed at the ice cream shop Jack had seen earlier.**_

_**Jack soon joined Steve on the ground, slumped up against his Dad's old bike. So after all of this was through, he'd still be him, but he'd also be Steve, meaning he was no longer himself? Damn it all, this was so confusing!**_

_**There was however, Jack realized weakly, nothing that he could do about it. It was already happening and even if he did find some way to stop this fusion, the chances were that he would die. There was no choice for him, he had to fuse or perish, but this fusion terrified Jack. He wasn't really sure how he was going to change, but he was determined to try to stay as himself, no matter what happened.**_

_**He would not lose himself to this fusion, he couldn't.**_

~After the Fall~

Well, that last little bit came from chapter seven, but I felt the small part fit in perfectly because of the simple irony that last line brought to the entire story. I know you guys were expecting Jack to interact with the Autobots, to get all of his memories back and reunite, but I have plans here, so please bear with me.

Megatron is interested in Jack though, so yeah, there's that shit. Trust me, it all comes together in the end.

We also got to see a darker side of Optimus, but I like to think of it as a more human side of the Prime. It might make him seem OOC, seeing Optimus react this way, but I honestly think it works. Plus, a lot of you guys were pushing for Optimus to go all terminator on Silas's ass. Here you can see that he's struggling with his emotions and his programing. He wants to do both, follow the honorable way, but also get revenge. I think it's an excellent display of how even Optimus isn't immune to the pain of loss.

~Hexalys~


	13. One Shall Rise Part I

I want to thank everyone for taking the time to review!

Wow, okay, I got some bad news for you guys. I just found out that season three will be the final series of Transformers Prime. According to Kidscreen magazine, the Hub stated that a "new iteration of the animated TV series" is due in late 2014. Hopefully this new show will be similar in the ways of the Unicron trilogy and the Prime continuity will continue into this new series. If not, then I will be severely pissed off.

Why do all the shows I love end so abruptly? First Young Justice, now this! What's next? Okay, disturbing news aside, here's chapter thirteen. God knows you've waited long enough for it.

~After the Fall~

Chapter 13: One Shall Rise Part I

"And it was written in the Covenant of Primus that when the forty-seven spheres align, a perpetual conflict will culminate upon a world forged from chaos. And the weak shall perish in the shadow of the rising darkness." Optimus Prime said solemnly to his soldiers, optics focused on the screen in front of him. A small part of him wondered if part of the prophecy had already been completed as the memory of Jack's body came to his processor.

"No skies raining fire?" Arcee asked sarcastically. The Prime studied his second; it had been five days since they had stormed MECH's base in search for Jack. The hopelessness that had plagued her after the revelation of Jack's captivity was replaced with burning determination. Even now the Prime could see her desire to scout the area for any sign of MECH.

"Goes without saying." Ratchet remarked as he shared a look with the two-wheeler. "It is a doom prophecy after all." Optimus glanced over his Medical Officer's condition. While he may look fully repaired from the damage Megatron had dealt three days ago, the Prime knew that Ratchet was still in recovery.

"I say it's a load of hooey." Bulkhead added and Ratchet turned to him. Optimus could remember a time when Ratchet had said much the same when he'd first heard of the prophecy.

"I always assumed the Ancients were referring to our home planet, but being that Cybertron has been dark for eons…" Optimus continued from there, hoping to halt his friends thoughts of Cybertron and its' sad fate.

"And considering what has befallen this planet since Megatron's arrival here–"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, we've known about these superstitions for ages and never given them a second thought." The Wrecker said, interrupting the two eldest bots.

"Why all the ominous rumblings now?" Arcee asked in agreement.

"Because the planetary alignment to which the prophecy refers is nearly upon us." Optimus answered evenly as he studied that chart on the screen.

"And it would seem its endpoint is Earth." Ratchet further explained. Bulkhead and Arcee shared uneasy looks before the Wrecker chuckled nervously.

"Crazy coincidence, r-right?" He asked and no one spoke for a few seconds.

"How long we talking?" Arcee asked gravely.

"A few days." Ratchet answered grimly. "At most."

"However unsettling this revelation may be, I am more concerned about those who might believe that the prophecy speaks to them alone." Optimus added seriously, his thoughts turning to Megatron, certain that the Warlord would soon make his move.

~After the Fall~

"I did not seek out the blood of Unicron to simply keep my spark aflame, but to rule undead armies and conquer worlds. And to accomplish that, I need more than this mere sliver that lies within me. So, where is my Dark Energon?" Megatron growled as he turned to glare at Knock Out, it had not escaped his notice that the Medic had once again been preening over his finish.

"Out there Lord Megatron, just waiting for you to reach out and pluck it." The Medic offered and Megatron deepened his glare. Was the fool suggesting that he'd not search thoroughly enough while traveling the voids of space for the last three years? "But you shouldn't push yourself so hard, you've had setbacks. You were in stasis."

"Precisely why I must make up for lost time!" He growled as he lifted the vain Mech up into the air. "I can see the future, vividly, but I must ensure its outcome, for I am the rising darkness for which the prophecy speaks." Even as he spoke, the vision that had been plaguing his processor for the past few cycles played out before his optics.

He stood victoriously, a bright purple fire blazing in his optics as Dark Energon erupted in the background. The massive shards rained down around him, a sign that the end for all was near as he would rise above to claim ruler ship. And no matter what happened, Megatron was determined to see that his vision became a reality.

Prime would not stop him this time.

~After the Fall~

Jack sighed as he stood on one of the many rocky cliffs that covered Nevada. He was only about two hundred miles away from Jasper, it wouldn't take him long to reach the base. He stared up at the full moon, hearing a pack of coyotes howling in the distance.

He didn't know what he was going to do. Well, that wasn't exactly true, he knew he was going back to the base, but what was he going to say to the Autobots? How was he supposed to approach them or even go about explaining everything that had happened to him? It also didn't help that the Decepticon coding in his neural network was screaming at him to stay away from the Bots. He could just imagine how their conversation would go.

'_Hey everybody, it's me, Jack, and I didn't tell you guys this, but during the incident with Airachnid, some of her acid kind of got into my bloodstream. I then experienced severe bouts of pain in my chest, slept a total of four hours per night, and required no food at all. I know I should have told you about this stuff before Ratchet, but I was in denial and I'd hoped that it wasn't anything serious._'

Oh yes, that would go over well with the team. Jack cringed, he could almost feel their disappointment.

'_Why do I look like this? Well, after MECH got me, they tore out my Spark which was apparently the cause of my chest pains, and combined it with that of a Vehicon Trooper whom I named Steve. We sort of bonded after that and I woke up with all of my memories being stored on a locked server. I escaped when you stormed the base a few days ago and began restoring my memory core._'

'_Unfortunately, I stopped the process before it could finish and almost shot Arcee at one point since I thought I was Steve at the time. I then met up with Knock Out and Breakdown, lead them to believe that I would join the Decepticons and then downloaded the rest of my memories. Now I'm pretty sure Megatron is expecting me to join him, which I won't even though I have Decepticon coding that's practically demanding I kneel at the Mech's pedes So can I join you guys since I can never have that normal human life now?_'

"Well, how did that sound Steve?" He asked the bike that was parked just a few feet behind him. The side mirrors tilted down slightly, but that was the only sign he got of the Vehicon that now shared his Spark. All that remained of ST-113V3 was a small, almost unnoticeable presence in the back of Jack's processor. Sometimes, he would get a sense or emotion that flickered briefly, but that was all. "Yeah, it didn't sound good to me either."

Jack sighed as his shoulder slumped, walking back towards the large bike, feeling lost and upset. He'd awoken hours ago, staring listlessly at the cavernous walls as he just broke down. He went over things in his processor, of his change into a Techno-organic, of his Spark fusion with Steve, of his escape from MECH.

And he'd stared at his hands, _his servos_, mourning the loss of his humanity.

"Nothing will ever be the same again." Jack muttered as he sat on his bike, his feet locking and connecting into the metal that was his body now. The engine roared to life at his will, fresh Energon pumped through his systems. He shot one last look at the moon before speeding off into the night, heading south towards the only place he'd ever called home.

~After the Fall~

"Pass." Raf scrolled down to the next picture. "Nuh uh." He moved onto the next picture. "Kid in a costume." And then the next. "Balloon." Down again. "Nope." This time they stumbled upon something. Miko gave a sigh as she smiled, winking at Raf a little. "Well what can you do? When you're a superstar, you're paparazzi bait." She said as made rock and roll hand gestures.

"Wait, is that Bumblebee?" Ratchet asked suddenly and Raf adjusted his glasses before answering.

"On a conspiracy website, where users post evidence of close encounters, but we have it under control Ratchet." Raf then activated his hack program, using his free hand to pet Gremlin who was cuddled up next to him. "We just scrub and replace Bee with…" He paused to let the program speak.

"Mars Cat says; take me to your feeder." Ratchet laughed in response only to freeze not even a full second later, looking at both kids with wide optics.

"Ratchet actually laughed?" Miko asked and Raf smiled slightly as he shrugged a little, wishing Jack had been there to see what was most likely a once in a lifetime event. "Hey Optimus, want to see something totally funny?" Miko called to the Autobot leader who stood at the terminal.

"No." The abrupt answer seemed to throw Miko off and Raf couldn't help but frown a little.

"Don't take it personally." Arcee said as she and Bulkhead walked up behind Ratchet, who was now busying himself with something to avoid looking up. "Prime's are built that way."

"Never seen Optimus laugh, cry, or lose his cool." Bulkhead added.

"While Optimus certainly keeps his emotions in check, I've known him far longer than any of you have." Ratchet reprimanded lightly as he looked at Arcee who merely shrugged in response. "And he was different before he was made a Prime."

"Optimus wasn't always a Prime?" Raf asked curiously.

"On Cybertron one isn't born into greatness, rather one must earn it." The Medic answered and Raf felt his awe towards the Autobot leader grow. Suddenly, his phone rang from next to his laptop. He picked it up, but found that the number was being blocked with caller unknown flashing on the front screen.

"Dude, what are you waiting for? Answer it already." Miko said from beside him and Raf shook his head.

"My mom doesn't want me answering the phone if I don't recognize the number." He answered simply and Miko scoffed before throwing her feet up on the table.

"So different how?" She asked, turning back to Ratchet. "We talking party animal?" Raf hid a smirk at that. He could never see Optimus acting like that, it sounded too much like Miko. His phone beeped, showing that the caller had left a message and he put in the password, bringing it up to his ear to see who had called, half-listening to what Ratchet was saying.

"No, no. Optimus was more like–"

"_Uh, hey Raf, it's–_"

"Jack!" He shouted, saying his friends' name at the same time as the message and as Ratchet. The others turned towards him and Raf pressed the phone hard into his ear to catch every word. This was the first sign of Jack since the Autobots had stormed MECH's base six days ago. "It's Jack! He just called me!" He called out, wishing he had just answered his phone instead.

"_What?!_" Ratchet asked looking shocked and appalled, though Raf had no idea why. "That's not possible!" Raf frowned at the Medic, listening intently to the message his missing friend had left behind.

"So what? Jack's been known to do the impossible before." Arcee argued, her optics solely focused on the phone in Raf's hand. Bumblebee agreed, looking happy, but Bulkhead stood at the back of the group, shooting uneasy looks at Optimus. Raf followed his gaze to look at the leader as well, seeing that unlike the others who'd reacted to the news with movement, Optimus seemed to freeze in place. Raf was sure that if he were human, the Prime would likely be holding his breath in anticipation.

"–_things have been a bit crazy lately, but I'm heading back to Jasper now. Call me back with this number only if it's an emergency. MECH is probably–_"

"Give me that phone Rafael; it is most likely MECH again." Ratchet said forcefully and Raf had to pull back behind the couch to avoid being picked up by the Autobot. He shook his head stubbornly. "Really Rafael, I am beginning to lose what little patience I have left. Now give me the phone."

"–_if you'd like to save this message, press seven._" Raf sighed as he pulled the phone away, realizing that Jack's message had already ended. He quickly pressed seven, he didn't want to lose what could be their only link to Jack, and went to his computer.

"I'll put in on speaker so that everyone can hear." He said, earning a frustrated sigh from the Medic as he hooked up his phone to the laptop's audio system. The base was silent for a few seconds and Raf didn't need to look up to know that all eyes were on him. "Okay, here it is."

"_Uh, hey Raf, it's Jack. I, oh man, I don't even know how to start._" They all heard Jack sigh heavily, a weariness bleeding into his tone that made Arcee take a step forwards, her optics filled with concern. "_I'm okay I guess, MECH did some… things to me and I don't – I don't look like me anymore. I–_" The line went silent for a moment. "_I just wanted you and the others to know that I'm okay. I know things have been a bit crazy lately, but I'm heading back to Jasper now. Call me back with this number only if it's an emergency. MECH is probably monitoring for this signal, but I think I managed to scramble it enough so that they won't find it. I'll call again when I reach town._"

"That was Jack." Arcee said with a certainty in her tone that no one dared argue.

"But how? He's–" Bulkhead cut himself off, nervously looking away from the others.

"**Captured? Doesn't mean he couldn't have escaped on his own, Jack's a bright kid after all.**" Bumblebee replied and Raf nodded in agreement. Miko hummed slightly from her place on the couch and Raf turned to her.

"What do you think Miko?"

"Well I think it was Jack, but what do you think he meant when he said he didn't look like himself anymore?" She questioned and Raf paused, remembering how hesitant his friend had sounded, only saying that MECH had done things to him. "Maybe he's been horribly disfigured and scarred, like Darkman!" Miko shouted excitedly and Raf paled.

"Miko!" Bulkhead shouted angrily, causing the girl to flinch. She looked at him with wide eyes and Raf could see how her thoughtless statement had affected the bots. Arcee looked horrified. Bumblebee was rubbing his throat with dim optics, seemingly lost in thought. Bulkhead was glaring at Miko, which was something Raf had never seen before. Ratchet's face was twisted into a pained look, as if he were imagining all the horrible things MECH could have done to Jack.

A sudden crunching sound caught everyone's attention and they turned to see Optimus holding some sort of broken tool trapped in his tight grip.

"Optimus, I needed that!" Ratchet groaned. The large Mech gave him an apologetic frown as he set down the remains near Ratchet's repair table, silently turning back to the terminal. "In any case, we can't be sure if that was Jack or not. We've been fooled by MECH before."

"By then why did he give us a number to reach him or tell us that he'll be in Jasper soon?" Raf asked, making the Medic frown.

"Perhaps MECH was hoping to lure us out of the base to look for Jack." Ratchet offered, though he was still frowning, clearly not pleased with his own suggestion. "In any case, whether this truly is Jack or not, we do not have the means to learn more at this point."

"Sure we do, we can just call him back." Miko said as she pointed at Raf's phone and Ratchet shook his head.

"If that truly was Jack, and what he said was true, then I do not wish to expose his location to MECH. I doubt that Jack even truly knows how to properly scramble a signal." Arcee was about to say something, when an alert came from the terminal. Optimus answered it and Agent Fowler appeared on the screen.

"Prime, those tech heists my departments been tracking, we figured it was MECH on account of their stealth tactics until moments ago when a security feed at the Pennington's EB Particle Collider captured this." A second window opened up and Raf walked over beside Miko to get a better look. He instantly recognized the Decepticon.

"Soundwave." He said nervously, there was just something about the Con that rubbed him the wrong way.

"Raf can swap that out for you with a funny cat." Miko commented and he shot her an annoyed look.

"The Con without a face made off with a cutting edge Phase Conductor. Here's a punch list of everything that we've confirmed stolen to date." Raf adjusted his glasses as he read over the list, partially listening as Ratchet readout some of the stolen items.

"Plasma Injector, Neutron Shield, Tesseract? There's only one thing missing if they are intending to build a new Ground Bridge."

~After the Fall~

Arcee hated to say it, but the Decepticons had rally brought their A-game today. She dodged a shot that would have been a direct hit on her chassis and fired back at the Aerial Vehicon. Even though her attack hit its mark, knocking the Vehicon out of commission, two more seemed to take its place.

They'd been alerted by Fowler that the Cons were making there move to steal the only suitable power source needed to get their Space Bridge online, but they didn't seem to be making a dent in the small armada of Troopers. It was frustrating because she could see the generator being guarded behind a line of Mechs, but was unable to breakthrough to reach it.

And just as the enemy numbers were beginning to dwindle, Arcee saw a familiar Cybertronian jet approach the battle. Megatron transformed and landed firmly between them and the stolen generator, clearly saying that they would have to go through him to reach their prize. Arcee felt she was more than up to the challenge.

"Optimus." The Con leader said in greeting, his crooked smile enough to get Arcee's Energon boiling.

"Megatron. Do you not see the folly in trying to force a prophecy to fruition?" Their leader asked and Megatron's grin widened as he answered.

"Why leave matters to fate if one can forge ones' own destiny?" Megatron's optics shifted to something behind them and Arcee resisted the instinct to turn around. It was that kind of rookie mistake that got you shot. "Ah, speaking of fate."

The approaching pedesteps were ones that she recognized and Arcee turned to see Bumblebee standing still, looking at her with wide optics. Her gaze lowered to what her fellow Scout held in his servos and her optics shuttered slightly at the sight of their youngest charge.

"Raf!" She took the small human into her servos, checking over his poor state, her scans showing that his vitals were failing. "He's breathing, barely." Bulkhead looked at their youngest with worry and Arcee wished she could have given them better news.

"Ah, it would seem I swatted a bee and squashed a bug." Megatron taunted from behind them and Arcee sent him a glare that was usually reserved for Airachnid. Bee reacted, cursing Megatron in Cybertronian and aiming his wrist mounted blasters at the Warlord.

"Bee, no!" Bulkhead shouted as he grabbed ahold of the Scout.

"Ratchet, Bridge us back now." Optimus ordered and Arcee looked down worryingly at Bee's charge as the boy gave a ragged cough. "Arcee, attend to Rafael, and Bumblebee." She nodded; even though she knew he Prime couldn't see it, and only had to direct Bee to the Bridge once in order to get him to follow. They arrived in the base within seconds and everything seemed to slow as she looked over Raf's condition.

"What happened?" Ratchet asked as he came up to them.

"Megatron." She answered with a growl, barely sparing Gremlin a glance as the Scraplet flitted around Raf nervously.

"Quickly, into my laboratory." The Medical Officer ordered. "Miko, there is a human sized berth located in the western corner in my lab, get it." Arcee saw the girl nod before running off to do as she was told for once. "Where did I put those human medical supplies?" Ratchet asked himself, acting more flustered than Arcee had ever seen him.

"I got the gurney, Doc Bot." Miko announced as she rolled the berth over to them.

"Good, Arcee, gently lower Raf onto the berth." Arcee did as instructed, pausing only to brush a servo through Raf's hair. "Ugh, Rafael isn't responding. We must run diagnostics of his assemblage, uh, vital statistics. Argh, my tools, they're all wrong!" Ratchet shouted as he threw said tools across the room, uncaring as the shattered against the opposite wall.

"That's it, I'm calling Jack." Miko said as she pulled out Raf's cellphone from his pocket.

"And what will that accomplish? Jack has never been trained medically, he would have no understanding of the effects that Energon could have on the human body." Ratchet argued and Miko sent him a glare.

"Well, do you know anything about the human body?" The Medic reared back, optics focusing on Raf in a way that showed Arcee that the situation was beyond Ratchets' abilities. Miko paced a few feet away, phone pressed to her ear, before her head jerked up. "Jack? It's Miko."

"And the weak shall perish." Arcee heard Ratchet mutter and she felt her Spark stall for a second, remembering the prophecy that Optimus had told them just last night. "Be strong Rafael." She couldn't help but repeat those words silently to herself and she prayed that Jack would be able to help.

~After the Fall~

"Raf?" The call was unexpected, but Jack managed to pick it up before it reached the second ring. "What's wrong?"

"_Jack? It's Miko._" Not who he was expecting, but he really, he should have known better.

"Miko?" He echoed in surprise before sighing in annoyance. "I said to call only if it were an emergency, MECH could–"

"_Jack, Raf's hurt. Megatron hit Bee while Raf was inside his alt mode and now he's barely breathing, and Ratchet has no idea what he's doing, and I don't know who else to call._" The girl barreled on, cutting him off before he could lecture her.

"Scrap, I'm still forty minutes away from Jasper!" Jack growled all his qualms about his confrontation with the Bots forgotten. "Have Ratchet use these coordinates for an emergency Ground Bridge; 39.5297° North and 119.8128° West." He heard Miko repeat his location to Ratchet over the phone and within seconds, a familiar burst of green appeared right ahead of him. He cut off his line to Miko and drove forwards, coming to a screeching stop just a few feet away from a stunned Ratchet.

He separated himself from his bike, ignored the blasters that Bumblebee pointed at him, and continued on towards Raf, who looked incredibly pale and was shaking slightly. Gremlin brushed up against his leg, sending him mixed emotions and he spared enough of his attention to send back reassuring feelings.

"What's his heart rate clocking in at?" He said without turning from the small boy as he ran a scan over his vitals, seeing that his blood pressure was dropping and his breathing was irregular. There was no response and Jack looked up at the others, noticing their shocked expressions but having no patience for it. Raf was very close to falling into cardiac arrest. "_Ratchet!_"

"Uh, his current rate is 80 beats per minute, but it's steadily declining." There was a pause, but Jack was too busy adjusting Raf's position to see what the Medic was doing. "Measuring the extent of the absorption should determine the proper course of treatment."

"If I don't get Raf's heart stabilized now, he will not leave this table alive, do you understand me?" He growled at the Medic. "Stop second guessing yourself and be useful, what effects does regular Energon have on the human body?" It was quiet for another moment and Jack finally looked up. Seeing the troubled look on Ratchet's face was enough to calm him down. "We can do this Ratchet, I taught you enough about human biology to be of help." He said encouragingly.

"Give me a moment to pull up the data I collected on Agent Fowler." As the Medic moved over to his lab terminal, Jack went back to monitor Raf, cursing as he saw that his heart rate had dropped to 75 BPM.

"**This is all my fault!**" He heard Bee shout as the Scout slammed his fist into the wall, breaking the concrete.

"Bee, listen! You think I don't know how it feels to watch a partner… harmed?" Arcee said and Jack could hear her stumble at the end of her sentence, substituting her last word for Bumblebee's sake. "Revenge won't help Raf right now, you need to keep your emotions in check." Jack increased his audio range to listen for any irregularities in Raf's heartbeats.

"_Ratchet, how is Rafael?_" Jack froze for a second as he heard Optimus's voice coming from Ratchet's comlink. It had felt like ages since he'd last heard from the Autobot leader and his processor could only draw up the night before he'd left the base. He remembered how he'd waited nervously all night for the Prime to show, only to be disappointed when just Ratchet and Arcee had seen him off.

'_Why didn't you come, Optimus?_' Jack quickly shoved that thought aside, focusing on Raf's vitals instead.

"It is too soon to know." The Medic replied and Jack felt that Ratchet was being kind with that answer. Raf's condition was worsening with every passing second and Jack estimated that the boy would flat line in ten minutes if they didn't do something soon.

"_He's in good hands._" The unintended compliment hit Jack harder than it rightfully should have and he felt his back straighten in response. Optimus had faith in him, in Ratchet, they could not fail him.

"Not mine Optimus, curse my Cybertronian pride. We've accepted these humans into our lives, yet I bothered to learn so little of their science or medicine." Jack wished he could offer some support to Ratchet in that moment, say something to help, but he could only think of how many minutes that Raf had left and the possibilities to prevent it.

"_Pull yourself together old friend, Rafael needs you._" Optimus said strongly.

"And I have grown to need him." The Autobot admitted in a soft tone, making Jack smile inwardly since his current form had no facial expressions.

"_Lock onto my coordinates and activate the Ground Bridge._" And Ratchet moved to the Bridge terminal, doing as commanded. Jack lowered his audio range, mentally noting that while Raf's pulse rate was slowing down, his heartbeats still sounded regular. He shot a glance upwards as he heard only one set of pedesteps enter the base, seeing that just Bulkhead was coming through the Ground Bridge.

"Where's Optimus?" Ratchet asked as he helped Bulkhead lower down a giant piece of equipment.

"Boss Bot said he had to settle things with Megatron, once and for all." The Wrecker answered and Jack felt his Spark pulse with concern. "Who's that?" Bulk said while pointing at Jack.

"Apparently, when Jack said he didn't look like himself anymore, he meant that MECH gave him super steroids and a gym membership card." Miko quipped and Jack mentally grimaced at her light tone. "Seriously Jack, how'd you get so ripped?"

"Explanations later, right now we need to focus on Raf." He said firmly, leaving no room for further questions.

"Indeed. The effects of an Energon blast on an Autobot are can be devastating enough, but this is a human… I'm not getting any readings. How could I not have seen this?" Ratchet said in surprise and Jack looked up, waiting for the Medic to explain. "Rafael's been infected with Dark Energon."

"So all our information on Energon affecting human biology is basically useless now." Jack determined, his tall stature wilting as Raf's heart rate dropped another click.

"Not necessarily, if Dark Energon is devouring Raf from the inside out, we must expel it and fast, the only possible way I know how." Ratchet pulled an empty cylinder from his table, installing an injector into the bottom, before turning to the others. "I need Energon."

"Wait, isn't Energon bad for humans?" Jack asked and Ratchet nodded as Bumblebee stepped forwards.

"Under normal circumstances, quite, but I am relying on the dark matter currently invading Rafael's body to meet it head on." Ratchet explained as he drew Energon from Bumblebee. Jack's scanners suddenly went critical and it felt as if his Spark stopped.

"Ratchet, he's crashing!" He shouted as Raf's heart rate fell to 40 BPM.

"Get him inside the inside the healing tank, now." Jack did as instructed and gave a thumbs up to Ratchet as he cleared the area. Ratchet began the infusion; the process creating such a powerful light that Jack was forced to look away for a few seconds. As soon as the tanked open, he rushed to Raf's side, scanning the boy again and finding that his pulse rate was quickly rising.

"He's stabilizing." He alerted the others, noticing that Raf was slowly waking up.

"…Bee." Raf said weakly, offering a small smile for his guardian. It was only when Miko reached forward to hug Raf that Jack allowed himself to relax.

"Welcome back Raf." He said warmly, happy to see that his young friend was going to be alright. The boy blinked up at him in confusion, leaning away slightly and Jack resisted the urge to flinch at the apprehensive look in Raf's eyes.

Jack knew how he looked to the others. His alt mode, besides taking the shape of his massive bike, gave his rider form an impressive and intimidating physique by human standards. He stood at nearly seven feet, his body looked thick with muscle upon muscle, when in reality it was just metal and wires. To them the rubber material coating his body looked like armor and he'd yet to remove his helmet.

They didn't know that he couldn't.

"It's Jack, Raf, MECH turned him into a super soldier. He's like a crossbreed between Iron Man and Captain America!" Miko said happily and Raf's guarded expression gave way to a small smile. "Oh, you should totally become a super hero now! Do you have any special powers? What's you hero name going to be, maybe Captain Iron? Nah, that's lame."

"Bulkhead, you let Optimus face Megatron alone?" Arcee asked suddenly, pulling Jack's attention away from Raf and Miko.

"I didn't have a choice." The Wrecker defended and Jack didn't doubt him. Once Optimus gave an order it was almost impossible to refuse.

"It could be a trap." Ratchet said as he worked on the terminal, obviously searching for Optimus's life signal. "We need to get a fix on his location." Jack stood awkwardly away from the others, shooting looks at the Autobots who were too focused on the situation to spare him a second glance. Minutes passed in silence, not even Miko said anything. "I've locked onto Optimus's signal, wait… how is this possible?"

"What? What is it?" Arcee asked worriedly and Jack rushed up the walkway to get a better view of the terminal screen. He spotted a mass of red converging onto Optimus's location and he knew from the ominous beeping that the computer was emitting that the situation wasn't anything good.

"We need to get Optimus out of there, now!" Ratchet barked and Jack reared back at the Medic's fear. As the others rushed towards the Ground Bridge, Jack could only hope that they were going to make it in time.

~After the Fall~

Yay, the first part's done, but we still have two more to go. I can't wait to get to the beginning of the next season because those first few episodes are going to be so much fun to write! I didn't even attempt at writing down the fight between Optimus and Megatron. It was perhaps one of the best fights on the show and I knew I wouldn't be able to do it justice.

Miko made a few references in this chapter. The first was Darkman, a film from 1990 starring Liam Neeson, and if you've never seen it before then I hate you. It's such a good movie, though the sequels are absolute crap. The second reference she made was obviously to Marvel, as she listed Iron Man and Captain America and you've no doubt seen their movies.

~Hexalys~


End file.
